M.Tech. in Bioinformatics is a 2-year full-time postgraduate course, the minimum eligibility for admission to which is the successful completion of graduation (B.E./ B.Tech.) from a recognized university. Additionally, graduation needs to have been completed in any of Computer Science, IT, Biotech, Bioinformatics, Programming, Math, or Science. Preference is however given to candidates having completed B.Tech. in Bioinformatics.
Admission to the course is based on the candidate’s performance in a relevant entrance test, or in some cases, the merit obtained at the level of graduation. Such postgraduates are hired in capacities such as Medical Coder, Research Associate, Clinical Bioinformatician, etc. Also, the average tuition fee charged for the course in India ranges between INR 1,20,000 and 5,20,000 for a span of 2 years. The average annual salary offered to such professionals ranges between INR 4 and 6 Lacs, increasing with experience and expertise in the field.
Table of Contents |
M.Tech. in Bioinformatics: Course Highlights
Listed below are some of the major highlights of the course.
Course Level | Postgraduate |
Duration | 2 Years |
Examination Type | Semester system |
Eligibility | Graduation (B.E./ B.Tech.) in Computer Science/ IT/ Biotech/ Bioinformatics/ Programming/ Math/ Science. Preference is however given to B.Tech. in Bioinformatics. |
Admission Process | Merit-based/ Based on performance in entrance test |
Course Fee | INR 1,20,000 to 5,20,000 |
Average Starting Salary | INR 4 to 6 lacs per annum |
Top Recruiting Companies | Medanta, Cipla, Dr. Reddy’s, Lupin, and suchlike. |
Top Recruiting Areas | Pharmaceutical Companies, Military Establishments, Freelance Writing, Private Hospitals, and others such. |
Top Job Profiles | Medical Coder, Research Associate, Professor, Lecturer, Teacher, Bioinformatics Trainee, Clinical Bioinformatician, Clinical Pharmacologist, etc. |
M.Tech. in Bioinformatics: What is it About?
The program has essentially been designed to impart to eligible candidates:
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an integrated, advanced, multidisciplinary learning in a discipline combining Computer Science and Information Science.
- understanding of how life exists and works by studying the structural and functional relationships of biomolecules.
- skills for finding new metabolic pathways for the development or design of new drugs.
- advanced lessons in finding evolutionary patterns that exist among species to simulation of life sciences in-silico.
- understanding of simulation-based studies of the functioning of all sizes of biomolecules.
- knowledge of Biology, Computer Science, and Informatics, including Mathematics and Biophysics.
- proficiency in tackling Biology-related problems using computers, software or by development of new languages.
- an expert perspective on Biology by providing support in terms of hardware, software, and Big Data-handling.
Most institutes offering the course admit students based on their performance in a relevant entrance test.Some institutes conduct their own entrance tests for offering admission. Admission process generally varies across colleges.
Some such institutes that hold entrance tests in the country for admission to the course are
- Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi
- Indian Institute of Information Technology, Allahabad
- International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad
- SRM University, Chennai.
Candidates wishing to apply for the course need to fulfil the following eligibility criteria
- Graduation (B.E/ B.Tech.), completed from a recognized university.
- A minimum aggregate score of 50% (45% for SC/ST/OBC candidates) at the level of graduation.
- Graduation needs to have been completed in any of:
- Computer Science, IT, Biotech, Bioinformatics
- Master’s Degree in Programming/ Math / Science
- Preference is however given to candidates having completed B.Tech. in Bioinformatics.
- Candidates awaiting their graduation-level examination’s results are also eligible to apply on provisional basis.
Top Institutes offering M.Tech. in Bioinformatics
Listed below are some of the top institutes in India that offer the course.
Name of Institute | City | Average Fees |
Indian Institute of Technology | Delhi | INR 1,38,000 (course) |
SRM University | Chennai | INR 3,20,000 (course) |
NIIT University | Jaipur | INR 5,20,000 (course) |
University of Pune | Pune | INR 1,20,000 (course) |
Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology | Bhopal | INR 1,65,000 (course) |
Indian Institute of Information Technology | Allahabad | INR 1,50,000 (course) |
Integral University | Lucknow | INR 1,60,000 (course) |
Jaypee Institute of Information Technology | Noida | INR 2,40,000 (course) |
International Institute of Information Technology | Hyderabad | INR 3,80,000 (course) |
Karunya University | Coimbatore | INR 2,37,000 (course) |
M.Tech. in Bioinformatics: Syllabus and Course Description
A semester-wise breakup of the course’s syllabus is tabulated here.
Semester I |
Semester II |
Preparatory courses in Maths & Science | Computing Tools |
Bioinformatics Resources | Domain / IT Elective |
Mathematics and Statistics | Introduction to Bioinformatics |
Biomolecular Structure Interaction and Dynamics | Bouquet Core |
Computer Problem Solving | Molecular modelling |
Scripting and Computer Environments | Summer Project |
Semester III |
Semester IV |
Thermodynamics and kinetics | Systems biology |
Statistical mechanics | Computer aided drug design |
Classical and quantum mechanics | Computational structural biology |
Quantum mechanics II | Biophysical chemistry |
Quantum computing | Advanced biology |
Introduction to nanotechnology | Advanced bioinformatics |
Pattern recognition | CCNSB Seminar |
M.Tech. in Bioinformatics: Career Prospects
Bioinformatics, as a part of Computational Biology, has a key role to play in pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors. It has applications in:
- reducing the time and cost involved in drug discovery processes.
- quantitative analytical techniques in modelling biological systems.
- development of new computer algorithms, database, and bioinformatics visualization tools.
Such postgraduates are lucratively hired in areas such as:
- Research and development departments
- Bioinformatical research
- Research in Genetic Algorithms
- Sequence Analysis
- Clinical pharmacology
- Database design and Maintenance
- Proterozoic pharmacology
- Hospitals, clinical pharmacology, etc.
Bioinformatics is a diverse field, with research in the field encompassing the following:
- abstraction of the properties of a biological system into a mathematical or physical model.
- implementation of new algorithms for data analyses.
- development of database and web tools to access such algorithms.
- computational research, by means of software tools that run on a variety of operating systems.
- work by experts in statistical methods and patterns recognition.
- application of concepts of Molecular Biology.
Interested postgraduates of the discipline may later pursue advanced courses in the subject, such as Ph.D.
Some of the popular professional avenues open to successful postgraduates of the course are listed below with the corresponding salaries offered for the respective positions.
Job Position | Job Description | Average Annual Pay in INR |
Medical Coder |
Medical coding is the transformation of healthcare diagnosis, procedures, medical services, and equipment into universal medical alphanumeric codes. Medical Coders procure diagnoses and procedure codes from medical record documentation, such as transcription of physician's notes, laboratory, and radiologic results, etc. Medical Coding Professionals help ensure that the codes are applied correctly during the medical billing process, which includes abstracting the information from documentation, assigning the appropriate codes, and creating a claim to be paid by insurance carriers. Medical Coders usually review the patient notes for evaluation and coding. The type of records and notes depends on the clinical setting (outpatient or facility) and may require a certain degree of specialization (larger facilities may have individuals who focus on medical specialties while coders who work in smaller, or more general offices, may have a broad range of patients and medical conditions.). They select the top patient note or billing sheet on the stack, and review the documentation to understand the patient's diagnoses assigned, and procedures performed during their visit. Medical Coders also abstract other key information from the documentation, including physician names, dates of procedures, and such information. |
4 lacs |
Bioinformatics Trainee | Bioinformaticians apply information technology to biological, medical, and health research. They use computational tools to gather and analyse data in fields such as population, biology, genetics, and pharmaceutical development. Bioinformaticians develop systems to gather data. Examples include constructing a survey methodology, designing a clinical trial for a new medication, and programming a statistical model for population growth. They also develop databases to compile vast amounts of information from activities such as gene expression profiling and protein expression. | 4.5 lacs |
Biophysicist | Biophysicists study the relationship between physics and living organisms, aiming to identify predictable patterns in biological processes. They conduct research for the government, universities, and private institutes, often on topics such as DNA and proteins. | 5 lacs |
Clinical Pharmacologist | Clinical Pharmacologists are medical scientist who specializes in the effect of drugs on the body. These professionals draft plans for pharmaceutical trials and create guidelines for prescribing medication. To design drug trials, Clinical Pharmacologists refer to data from the Human Genome Project and consult with scientists who have developed new pharmaceutical compounds and conducted preclinical testing. Additionally, they co-ordinate testing of a drug's absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion from the human body. | 6 lacs |
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