Biotechnology is a branch of science which offers huge opportunities for youngsters keen to pursue a career in research. There are two national-level exams which enable students to venture into this exciting field.
The tests – GAT-B and BET – will be conducted by the National Testing Agency (www.nta.ac.in) on April 23 and applications could be submitted online till 5 pm on March 31. The website to apply is https://dbt.nta.ac.in. There are two exam centres in Kerala – Thiruvananthapuram and Thrissur.
GAT-B
GAT-B (Graduate Aptitude Test in Biotechnology) enables admission to post-graduate programmes conducted with the aid of the Central government’s Department of Biotechnology. These PG programmes include MSc / MTech in Biotechnology, MSc Agricultural Biotechnology and MVSc Animal Biotechnology as well as other PG programmes in this field.
The purpose of GAT-B is only to identify suitable candidates for the courses. For admissions to the different courses, aspiring students have to apply to the respective institutions when notifications are published. Admissions to each of these institutions require specific minimum educational qualifications.
In India, 63 institutions carry out admissions based on GAT-B scores. Among them, the following institutions are located in Kerala- Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) for M Tech in Marine Biotechnology; Kerala Agricultural University for MSc in Agri-Plant Technology and Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram for MSc Biotechnology.
Stipends will be paid to students pursuing the courses conducted with aid from the Department of Biotechnology. The stipend amounts are: MSc Biotechnology – Rs 5,000; MSc Agricultural Biotechnology – Rs 7,500; MTech – Rs 12,000 and MVSc – Rs 12,000.
BET
By clearing the second nationwide exam, BET (Biotechnology Eligibility Test), applicants can earn a DBT-JRF (Department of Biotechnology – Junior Research Fellowship).
Educational qualifications required include BTech in Biotechnology, Life Sciences, Biology or related subjects / MBBS / MSc / M Tech / MVSc / M Pharm with a minimum of 60-percent marks. The cut-off is 55-percent for Scheduled Caste / Tribe and differently-abled candidates.
Applicants should not have crossed the age of 28 years on the last date of submitting applications. However, there is a grace period for candidates belonging to eligible categories. Applications from final semester PG students pursuing a PG programme conducted with DBT aid will also be considered.
Candidates qualifying for JRF should register with the research institutions as per schedule.
Exam timings, fees
Both GAT-B and BET are three-hour computer-based exams. While GAT-B would start at 9 am on April 23, BET will take place from 3 pm the same day. Applications could be submitted either for one or both the tests.
The fee for each test is Rs 1,200. Candidates applying for GAT-B and BET have to pay Rs 2,400. Meanwhile, the fees for Scheduled Caste / Tribe and differently abled applicants are Rs 600 and 1,200.
Helpdesk
For more details and clarifications, contact the helpdesk at 011 – 4075 9000 or dbt@nta.ac.in