PhD in Microbiology- Course Details, Admission Process, Eligibility, Top Colleges, Entrance Exams, Syllabus, Scope, Jobs and Salary

Updated October 18, 2022

PhD in Microbiology or Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology is a three to five years long doctorate course which aims to provide candidates with research skills and specialist knowledge in various aspects of Microbiology. The course essentially involves the advanced study of microscopic, unicellular and cell-cluster organisms.

Numerous reputed institutions across India offer PhD Microbiology Courses. Some top ones are Banaras Hindu University, University of Calcutta, University of Hyderabad, Punjab University, Mahatma Gandhi University, etc. The average fee expense for PhD Microbiology courses in India ranges from INR 10K to 2 LPA, depending on the institute offering the program.

Candidates aspiring to pursue the PhD Microbiology course must be postgraduate holders in a relevant discipline with a minimum aggregate of 55% marks. Most institutions also ask for Experience of five years or more in the field. Candidates are generally selected for PhD Microbiology course based on marks scored in Entrance Exams. However, few colleges also grant merit-based admissions.

PhD in Microbiology Course Details

Below are the major highlights of the Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology course.

Ph.D. in Microbiology Admission Process

The majority of Universities/colleges in India offering the PhD in Microbiology course follow an entrance-based admission process for selecting the candidates. They grant admission to the course based on the candidates’ scores in entrance tests like UGC NET, CSIR (JRF), GATE, etc. Below mentioned are different steps of Entrance-Based Admission.

• Eligible aspirants must have registered for the entrance test through the official website of the conducting body.
• They have to appear for the entrance, and after the entrance exam, admission authorities will release the results of the entrance test they have appeared for.
• Candidates who qualify in the entrance test must appear for further admission rounds such as group discussions and personal interviews.
•  And finally, the institutions allocate admission seats based on overall performance.

Merit-Based Admission: Some institutes also follow Merit-based admission for PhD Microbiology courses. In Merit-based admission, institutions select candidates based on their performance in the postgraduate examination, followed by Group discussions and Personal interviews.

Ph.D. in Microbiology Eligibility Criteria

Candidates aspiring to pursue the PhD Microbiology course must fulfil specific criteria. Below are the minimum eligibility criteria the aspiring candidates must meet to get admission to the program.

• The aspirants must be a postgraduate degree (like MSc Microbiology, MPhil Microbiology, etc.) holder in Microbiology or another related discipline from a recognized university.
• They should have also scored the minimum aggregate of at least 55% marks in their post-graduation. Some institutes also give relaxation of 5 % marks in the minimum required percentage to candidates in the SC/ ST category.
• Some institutions also ask for work experience of at least five years in the related field.

Popular PhD Microbiology Entrance Exams

Some of the top colleges and universities which follow entranced- based admission consider the score of the below-mentioned entrance tests followed by a round of personal interview and group discussion. With the help of these university and national entrance examinations, institutes test the student’s knowledge and ability to grant access to the program. Listed below are some of the most popular entrance exams for this course.

• GATE
• GPAT
• UGC-NET
• UGC-CSIR-NET

Top Ph.D. Microbiology Colleges in India

Numerous reputed colleges/universities in India offer PhD Microbiology Courses. Some of the top ones among them are listed below.

• Assam University, Silchar
• Kalinga University, Raipur
• ST. Xavier’s College, Kolkata
• Presidency College, Chennai
• Punjab University, Chandigarh                  
• University of Calcutta, Kolkata
• Utkal University, Bhubaneshwar
• Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi
• Pondicherry University, Pondicherry
• University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad       
• Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam  
• SRM Institute of Technology, Kanchipuram        

Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology Syllabus

The Course curriculum of PhD Microbiology incorporates one year of compulsory coursework that comprises two equal semesters. On completing year-long coursework, the candidates bring their research idea in front of the college faculty members. And if the candidates successfully convince the panel, their research idea gets approved. After the approval of research ideas, candidates complete their research and submit the thesis in the remaining two to four years to get awarded a PhD degree. Tabulated below is the semester-wise breakup of one year-long coursework of PhD Microbiology program.

Future Scope of Ph.D. Microbiology Course

Obtaining a PhD degree in Microbiology creates a wide range of professions for the graduates in several areas of private and public workforces. PhD Microbiology degree holders will be able to make their careers in the research field and work as Research scientists in Microbiology. If teaching is someone’s passion, he can also go for a teaching profession and join as a professor in universities and colleges.

Since a PhD in any discipline is the highest academic degree awarded to an individual, therefore, after obtaining the degree, one can aspire for some of the top positions in the field of microbiology. If someone is aspiring for higher studies after the PhD program in Microbiology can go for a DSc degree in the field. But, to be eligible for the DSC degree, the candidates must complete a minimum of four to five years of research work after completing their PhD.

PhD Microbiology Jobs and Career Options 

PhD in Microbiology promises enormous career scope for the graduates. In recent times, microbiology professionals are in huge demand in the field of Medical Research, Quality Control and the biotechnology industry, government and private hospitals, food industries, research and development organizations, and chemical & pharmaceutical industries. Scholars who opt for research in the field after completing their PhD degree can get jobs as researchers in Universities, Pharmaceutical and Bioscience companies and institutes both in India and Abroad. In a nutshell, numerous job opportunities are available for those who aspire to a career in Microbiology. Below are some of the popular professional jobs available to PhD Microbiology graduates.

• Pharmacologist                
• Epidemiologists
• Research Scientist
• Food Technologist                         
• Biomedical Scientist       
• Chemical Technicians
• Biological Technicians    
• Veterinary Microbiologist            
• Clinical Research Associate
• Biochemists and Biophysicists
• Agricultural and Food Scientist
• Scientific Laboratory Technician

Graduates of PhD in Microbiology Salary in India

The salary package of the PhD Microbiology graduates may vary depending on their job profiles, experience, skillset, job location, company, etc. However, the average initial salary offered to PhD Microbiology degree holders in India range from INR 5 to 15 lakh per annum, depending on the candidate’s expertise in the field. Listed below are some top profiles after PhD Microbiology with average salary trend.

• Pharmacologist:- INR 4 Lakh Per Annum
• Epidemiologists:- INR 15 Lakh Per Annum
• Research Scientist:- INR 7 Lakh Per Annum
• Food Technologist:- INR 5 Lakh Per Annum
• Biomedical Scientist:- INR 4 Lakh Per Annum
• Biological Technicians:- INR 9 Lakh Per Annum
• Chemical Technicians:- INR 12 Lakh Per Annum
• Veterinary Microbiologist:- INR 9 Lakh Per Annum
• Clinical Research Associate:- INR 4 Lakh Per Annum
• Biochemists and Biophysicists:- INR 11 Lakh Per Annum
• Scientific Laboratory Technician:- INR 5 Lakh Per Annum
• Agricultural and Food Scientist:- INR 10 Lakh Per Annum

FAQs on Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology

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