Ph.D. (Botany) Course Admission, Eligibility, Fees 2024-2025

Ph.D. in Botany is 3-year doctorate degree in Botany. Botany is a branch of biological science that focuses on the study of plants and how they survive and interact with other living and nonliving components of the environment. At undergraduate and graduate levels, the curriculum of the course typically consists of lecture-based lessons, lab sessions, and field research. Doctoral programs however, focus more on research.

Eligible candidates aspiring to pursue the course need to have attained a Master’s degree in the relevant discipline with a minimum aggregate score of 55% (50% for SC/ST/PH candidates) or an equivalent grade from a recognized university/institute of higher learning, besides a 5-year teaching/ industry/ administrative/ professional experience at a senior level.

Such postgraduates are hired in capacities such as Mycologist, Administrator, Ecologist, Fruit Grower, Plant Biochemist, Forester, Researcher, etc.

The average tuition fee charged for the course in India ranges between INR 2,000 and 8 Lacs for a span of 3 years. Such professionals in India are offered an average annual salary ranging between INR 15,000 and 80,000, with the pay scale varying across private and government sectors, and depending on factors such as the candidate’s qualification, designation, experience and skillset.

Ph.D. in Botany: Course Highlights

Listed below are some of the major highlights of the course.

Course Level	Doctorate
Duration	3 years
Examination Type	Semester System
Eligibility	Post Graduation
Admission Process	Based on short-listed candidates’ performance in the round of interview.
Course Fee	INR 2,000 to 8 Lacs
Average Starting Salary	INR 1.5 to 6 lacs per annum
Top Recruiting Companies	Biotechnology Firms, Seed And Nursery Companies, Plant Resources Laboratory, Educational Institutions, Plant Health, Inspection Services, Oil Industry, Arboretum, Forest Services, Land Management Agencies, National Parks, Chemical Industry, Food Companies, Biological Supply Houses, etc.
Job Positions	Mycologist, Administrators, Ecologist, Fruit Growers, Plant Biochemist, Forester, Researchers, and such.

Ph.D. in Botany: What is it about?

The discipline’s coursework primarily allows students to conduct independent research. Doctorate scholars may also enroll to graduate-level courses focused on more advanced concepts in Botany. The course’s curriculum typically covers the following components of study:

Foundations of medicine
Biomedical research
Nomenclature
Biological conservation

The course is designed for scholars interested in studying on an advanced level about animal behavior, evolutionary trends, species, characteristics, and the structure, functioning, behavior, and evolution of animals, including living beings.

Popular areas of employment for such scholars would include biotechnology firms, seed and nursery companies, plant resource laboratories, educational institutions, plant health inspection services, oil industry, arboretum, forest services, land management agencies, national parks, chemical industry, food companies, biological supply houses, etc.

They may also choose to work as teachers/ lecturers in schools and colleges, often upon qualifying the NET.

Ph.D. in Botany: Who should opt?

Ideal candidates for the course would possess:

data-handling skills such as recording, collating, and analyzing data using appropriate techniques and equipment.
written communication skills
presentation and oral communication skills such as to present research findings and make presentations in a clear, succinct way.
project management skills, such as organizing and undertaking research projects, experiments, etc. (including budgeting, contingency planning, and time management).
good understanding of information technology
ability to work both independently and as part of a team.

Top Institutes offering Ph.D. in Botany

Listed below are some of the top institutes in India that offer the course.

Name of Institute	City	Average Fees
Loyola College, Chennai	Chennai	INR 7,200 (course)
Christ University	Bangalore	INR 51,667 (course)
Presidency College, Chennai	Chennai	INR 2,695 (course)
Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda College, Chennai	Chennai	INR 2,205 (course)
Jadavpur University, Kolkata	Kolkata	INR 2,388 (course)
Indian Institute of Technology - [IIT], Kanpur	Kanpur	INR 28,044 (course)
The Northcap University - [NCU], Gurgaon	Gurgaon	INR 72,000 (course)
Shiv Nadar University - [SNU], Greater Noida	Greater Noida	INR 1,23,000 (course)
Birla Institute Of Technology - [Bit Mesra], Ranchi	Ranchi	INR 59,000 (course)
Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University, Kanpur	Kanpur	INR 53,000 (course)
Periyar Maniammai University - [PMU], Thanjavur	Thanjavur	INR 18,000 (course)
Central University of Jharkhand - [CUJ], Ranchi	Ranchi	INR 24,967 (course)
Cochin University of Science and Technology - [CUSAT], Kochi	Kochi	INR 5,538 (course)
Centurion University of Technology and Management - [CUTM], Bhubaneswar	Bhubaneswar	INR 73,333 (course)
Manav Rachna International University - [MRIU], Faridabad	Faridabad	INR 75,000 (course)
IFTM University, Moradabad	Moradabad	INR 40,000 (course)
Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith - [MGKV], Varanasi	Varanasi	INR 10,100 (course)
GLA University, Mathura	Mathura	INR 67,500 (course)
Khalsa College, Amritsar	Amritsar	INR 30,000 (course)
Banaras Hindu University - [BHU], Varanasi	Varanasi	INR 6,627 (course)
KR Mangalam University, Gurgaon	Gurgaon	INR 65,000 (course)
Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University - [RTMNU], Nagpur	Nagpur	INR 30,833 (course)

Eligibility for Ph.D. in Botany

As a minimum criterion of eligibility, aspiring candidates need to meet the following minimum eligibility criteria:

Postgraduate degree in a relevant discipline, completed from a recognized institute/university.
A minimum aggregate score of 55% (50 % for SC/ST candidates) or equivalent grade at the level of post-graduation.
At least 5 years of teaching/ industry/ administrative/ professional experience at a senior level.

Ph.D. in Botany: Admission Process

Admission to the course in India is made on the basis of the candidate’s performance in a relevant written test and/or a round of Personal Interview and/or performance in a relevant qualifying examination. Candidates are shortlisted based on both academic record and performance in a relevant nation-wide screening test, such as:

CSIR NET- which is conducted twice a year. Qualifying candidates can apply for government-funded scholarship to pursue the course.
DBT- which is a national-level entrance examination conducted for supporting shortlisted candidates in pursuing advanced research work in the discipline.
UGC NET- also conducted for supporting shortlisted candidates in pursuing advanced research work in the discipline.

Latest Ph.D. (Botany) Admission Alert

Ph.D. in Botany: Syllabus and Course Description

A semester-wise breakup of the course’s syllabus is tabulated here.

Semester I	Semester II
Research Methodology	Taxonomy, Biodiversity & Conservation
Research Proposal	Recent advances in Ecology
Recent advances in Plant Physiology	Trends in Biotechnology
Recent advances in Mycology and Plant Pathology	-

Ph.D. in Botany: Career Prospects

For successful Botanies, careers opportunities abound in the discipline, in capacities such as Soil and Plant Scientist, Biophysicist and Biochemist, Biological Technician, Environmental Scientist and Specialist, Mycologist, Plant Breeder, and Horticulturist.

Botany involves observation and also management of fossils, living plants, and their relationship with nature. Specializations in the discipline include Taxonomy, Physiology, and anatomy of plants and their life processes.

Some of the popular professional avenues open to such postgraduates are listed below with the corresponding job descriptions and salaries offered for the respective positions.

Job Position	Job Description	Average Annual Pay Scale in INR
Taxonomist	Taxonomists research about, and sub-divide types of plants into classifications, subsequent to observing their species and grouping them based on similitudes.	4,80,000
Agronomist	Agronomist are soil and plant researchers who work to enhance the yield of field crops like grain and cotton. They develop techniques that help farmers in creating more yield and avoiding harvest-failures.	6,45,000
Ecologist	Ecologists observe and research on plants’ relationship and behavior with the soil and with other living beings. They research on the biological categories of plants with the objective of explaining their life phenomena.	6,70,000
Mycologist	Customarily, Mycologists consider growth patterns and how harming living beings harms vegetation. Mycologists are a kind of Microbiologists that observe and analyze microscopic organisms and green growth in relation to microorganisms.	6,60,000
Plant Breeder	Plant Breeders apply customary hybridizing and crossbreeding methods, instead of hereditary building, to enhance plants for human use, with focus on nature’s conservation. Plant Breeders are a type of Plant Geneticists, and Geneticists work directly in the science of plant genomes.	5,50,000