Gone are the days when students pursuing PCB in class 12 could only think about Medicine as a career option. Courses after class 12 Biology are not just limited to MBBS these days. If you have studied biology in classes 11 & 12, there are ample career opportunities available in the medical and paramedical fields which are well-recognised and well-paid.
The eligibility for most of these courses is a minimum of 50 per cent marks in Class 12 with PCB. However, the minimum marks can vary across institutes, depending on the policies of the institution. To pursue any of the below-mentioned courses, candidates need to appear for the respective entrance examination at the national/ state/ university level.
Read more - Careers Beyond MBBS for PCB Students
There are plenty of medical courses other than MBBS in India offered at various levels. Here is a list of courses along with their duration that you can pursue after class 12 except for MBBS.
Course | Duration |
---|---|
Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) | 5 years |
Bachelor of Veterinary Sciences (B.V.Sc) | 5.5 years |
Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) | 5.5 years |
Bachelor of Homoeopathic Medicine and Surgery (BHMS) | 5.5 years |
B.Sc Nursing | 4 years |
B.Sc Microbiology | 3 years |
B.Sc Environmental Science | 3 years |
B.Sc Nutrition & Dietetics | 3 years |
B.Sc Agriculture | 4 years |
(Note- Data has been collated by Team Careers360)
Dentistry is one of the most popular career options in Biology except MBBS. You will be taught about dentures, dental problems and surgery human anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry. The course curriculum also covers prosthodontics, microbiology, embryology & histology, dental pharmacology and pathology, periodontics, pedodontics, orthodontics, and dentistry.
Duration: The duration of the course is 4 years and a one-year mandatory internship programme in dentistry education.
Some top colleges: GDCH – Ahmedabad, Nair Hospital Dental College – Mumbai, ACDS – Secunderabad, and Manipal College of Dental Sciences.
Bachelor of Veterinary Sciences is one of the most popular courses among students who are looking for courses in biology after 12th except MBBS. If you are fond of animals and want to get into a medical profession, this can be a great career option.
Veterinary Sciences deals with the medical aspects of animal anatomy and you will be trained in diagnosing, treating, and researching medical conditions and diseases of animals.
Duration: The course duration is 5.5 years including 6 months of the compulsory internship period.
Some top colleges: IVRI – Bareilly, National Dairy Research Institute – Karnal, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences – Bikaner, Maharashtra Animal & Fisheries Sciences University - Nagpur.
BAMS or Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery is a professional course in ayurvedic medicine. This course will give you an in-depth understanding of topics like anatomy, physiology, toxicology, pharmacology, and Ayurvedic history. It focuses on concepts of Ayurveda and Ayurvedic medicine. Becoming an Ayurveda specialist is increasingly becoming one of the popular career options in Biology except for M.B.B.S.
Duration: The duration of the course is 5.5 years including one year of internship.
Some top colleges: BHU – Varanasi, DY Patil University – Navi Mumbai, KLE University – Belgaum, BVUCOE - Pune.
Nursing is one of the popular career options in Biology except M.B.B.S if you want to work in the health sector and serve the community. There are three courses in Nursing that you can pursue after class 12: Auxiliary Nursery & Midwife Diploma (ANM), General Nursing & Midwife(GNM), and B.Sc. Nursing.
The nursing course covers topics like Health care management, Anatomy, Primary Health Nursing, Community Health, and Child health.
Duration: The duration of ANM is 2 years, GNM is 3.5 years and B.Sc. Nursing is 4 years.
Some top colleges: AIIMS – New Delhi, PGIMER – Chandigarh, CMC – Vellore, King’s George Medical University – Lucknow, Bharat Institute of Nursing Training, Jalandhar.
Also Read: Career Options After 12th Science PCB
Environmental Science focuses on understanding the physical, chemical, and biological conditions of the environment and identifying solutions to environmental issues. It is one of the emerging career options in Biology except MBBS. One can probe and investigate environmental issues such as waste management, water and air pollution, global warming, ozone depletion, and climate change.
After pursuing Environmental Studies, you may work as a Horticulturist or Environmental Engineer or you can work for different government departments and agencies such as Forestry, Pollution Control Board, and Agriculture.
Duration: The duration of the course is 3 years.
Some top colleges: Fergusson College - Pune, Mount Carmel College – Bangalore, Ramakrishna Mission Residential College – Kolkata, JMI – New Delhi.
Nutritionists and Dietitians are professionals who examine and evaluate the dietary habits of individuals and advise them on health and their food choices. Dietetics involves managing a client/patient's diet by designing an appropriate plan, monitoring, and supervising. This is one of the most popular career options in Biology except MBBS.
Duration: The duration of the course is 3 years.
Some top colleges: Lady Irwin College, Women’s Christian College – Chennai, Institute of Home Economics – New Delhi, All India Institute of Hygiene and Public Health, Nirmala Niketan – Mumbai.
Read More - Career Options after 12th Science PCM
Modern agriculture and farming practices have led to a constant demand for professionals in research and development, as well as administration to ensure that crops are cultivated with minimal input costs. B.Sc in Agriculture is underrated, yet one of the good courses in Biology after 12th except M.B.B.S with high salary.
The course will expose you to a broad range of agricultural practices, and new and advanced technologies in the sector. It also focuses on water resources management, soil texture, and poultry management. You can be employed in Agribusiness, Food processing units, Seed Technology farms, and Agricultural banks as an Agriculturist scientist, Landscaping Manager, and Crop Trial officer.
Duration: The duration of the course is 4 years.
Some top colleges: Dr. D.Y Patil College of Agricultural Engineering & Technology – Kolhapur, Punjab Agricultural University – Ludhiana, RPCAU, Pusa, Anand Niketan College of Agriculture - Chandrapur.
The particular course you have graduated from determines your future career prospects. Below, we have listed some of the job roles and their average salary concerning the above-mentioned courses.
Job Role | Average Salary |
---|---|
Dentist | Rs. 3.64 LPA |
Veterinary Doctor | Rs. 6.0 LPA |
Nurse | Rs. 3.16 LPA |
Research Scientist | Rs. 7.72 LPA |
Dietician | Rs. 2.67 LPA |
Agriculturist Scientist | Rs. 10.01 LPA |
Source: Payscale
The study of Biology opens up many possibilities for you and provides you with a unique way to discover new facets of life. It also offers various chances to conduct research, examine, and explore the many facets of the subject. You just make an informed choice and choose your career option based on your interests and aptitudes.
Author- This article has been authored by Yashodhra Arora, who is a Counselling Psychologist, with extensive experience in career counselling for high school students.
There are numerous options available after studying PCB in class 12 except for M.B.B.S. You can opt for fields like Veterinary sciences, Dentistry, Food Technology, and Marine Biology.
Allied Medicine also known as paramedical services includes a wide range of areas like Optometry, Medical Lab Technology, Radiology, Occupational Therapy, and Clinical Research.
Marine biology is the study of marine life and organisms. After pursuing a three-year degree programme you can get into research and can be employed as a fishery biologist, Aquaculturist, or Marine Biologist.
Biology is a fascinating field and offers a multitude of career opportunities. Some of the courses in biology except M.B.B.S with a high salary are Clinical Research, Bio-Technology, Genetics research, and Environmental Sciences.
The average starting salary after BDS can range from INR 25,000 - INR 30,000 per month. With experience and a Master's degree, the salary can go up to approx. INR. 60,000 per month.