Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Molecular Biology Admission Process, Eligibility, Syllabus, Scope and Salary 2024

Q: Ques: What are the minimum requirements to apply for PhD in molecular biology?

Ans: The candidate should have a masters degree with 55% marks and a research proposal. The candidate is required to clear the entrance examination and interview for the admission.

Waqar Niyazi

Content Curator

PhD Molecular biology is a minimum 3-year full-time course and stands for Doctorate of Philosophy with the specialisation in molecular biology. The course duration depends on the thesis completion and research work. PhD molecular biology is a course which is designed for students willing to have strong knowledge about the biological aspects and concepts at the molecular level focussing on subjects like biology, chemistry, biotechnology, biochemistry etc.

Candidates holding a Masters in Biological Science or an equivalent degree from a recognized organization with 55% aggregate marks are eligible for this course. The basic aim of studying PhD molecular biology is to learn in-depth about the features of macromolecules, its structure and functions or nourishing the skills for pursuing a career in the same field. The course focuses on the concepts and study of biological activity amidst the cells, its synthesis, modification, mechanisms and interactions.

The course curriculum involves subjects like Endocrinology, Sericulture, Ecology, Mycology etc. and is appropriate for students who are interested in learning the practical and theoretical knowledge of all the cell functions. With ample career options available, the average salary for fresher ranges around 4-8 lpa . The basic fee structure in most of the colleges for this course is about 10k to 1 lacs depending upon the years taken for completing the course.

Table of Content

PhD Molecular Biology Course Highlights
Why Study?
PhD Molecular Biology Admission Process

3.1 Eligibility

3.2 Entrance Exams

PhD Molecular Biology Syllabus
PhD Molecular Biology Top Colleges
PhD Molecular Biology Distance Education
PhD Molecular Biology Course Comparisons
PhD Molecular Biology Jobs
PhD Molecular Biology FAQs

PhD Molecular Biology Course Highlights

Course Level	Doctorate
Full Form	Doctorate of Philosophy in Molecular Biology
Duration	3 years (minimum)
Examination Type	Semester type + research thesis
Eligibility	Candidate with Masters degree in the respective field from a recognized university with minimum 55% marks.
Admission Process	Entrance-based + Interview
Course Fee	INR 10,000 to 3 lakhs
Average Salary	INR 2 to 20 lakhs
Top recruiting companies	Camris International, Astra Zeneca, Sorrento Therapeutics, AECOM, Takeda Pharmaceutical, Amyris
Job Positions	Research Biologist, Microbiologist, Clinical Laboratory Scientist, Environmental Scientist, Scientific Communications Manager

Why Study PhD Molecular Biology?

PhD Molecular Biology has gained a lot of popularity in the past years due to following reasons:-

PhD Molecular Biology is constantly growing worldwide, and is rated as one of the top jobs globally.
You can work for any health care or biology sector. The course also opens the door for a candidate to work in the chemist field or in any academic research. The student can also opt for lectureship in any good university.
With the scientific approach toward the human cells, the study and the career after that gives an interesting subject to the students.

PhD Molecular Biology Admission Process

Each university offering a PhD Molecular Biology follows a set of systems for admissions of students. Mainly, the admission for PhD Life Science is done on the basis of PhD Entrance Examination, interview and research proposal assessment of each student. Some of the universities allow the students to appear in Entrance examinations like GATE/NET/SET/M.Phil/ JRF examination to register for the admissions; however some universities conduct their own entrance examination.

Some of the important PhD Molecular Biology admission knowledge are mentioned below:

The universities start a portal in the month of September/October for the registration of the students.
The potential candidate needs to submit the registration form along with the required documents.

Following documents need to affix with the registration form:-

Migration Certificate
Passing certificate/ Degree certificate
Age proof
Research Proposal
No objection Certificate

Candidates are required to appear in the entrance examination, either one held by the college or centralized examination like NET/RET in order to check the subject matter knowledge.
Once the examination is clear, an interview is held for the further assessment.

5) Some universities also check and scrutinize your research proposals for combined evaluation.

See Also: List of Science Courses (PhD)

PhD Molecular Biology Eligibility

The eligibility criteria for studying PhD Molecular Biology are mentioned below:

The students with a master’s degree in the respective field from a recognized institute with minimum 55% aggregate marks are eligible for this course.
Candidates should have a research proposal and an insight of how the research work will be carried out during the PhD programme.

Related Subjects:

BSc Biology	BSc Biological Science

PhD Molecular Biology Entrance Exams

The entrance examinations for PhD molecular biology are GATE/NET/RET/SET or JRF examination which basically includes questions based on subject matter knowledge and research aptitude.

Entrance Exam	Registration Date	Exam Date
CSIR UGC NET	2nd week of March – 2nd week of April 2024	3rd week of June 2024
UGC NET	December 2023 – January 2024	February 2024 – March 2024
IIT JAM	September 5, 2023 – October 25, 2023 (Extended)	February 11, 2024
GPAT	March 2024	April 2024
VITMEE	March 2024	April 2024

Points to Keep in Mind while Preparing for Entrance Exams

Go through your entrance exam syllabus thoroughly and follow the time table to complete the full syllabus on time.
You should have some background or knowledge in Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Health and human biology etc.
Practice previous year question papers to keep a check on exam patterns.
For the general aptitude test, be aware about the research methodologies and practice more aptitude questions.
Strong command on the language is advisable.

How to Get Admission in a Good College

Keep your research proposal handy with all the necessary study and knowledge.
Be fluent in the respective subject by gaining appropriate subject matter knowledge.
Make a strong command on the language.
Prepare for entrance examinations well.
Previous year interview questions should be thoroughly studied.
Have a good aptitude and research knowledge before the test or the interview.

PhD Molecular Biology Syllabus

PhD Molecular Biology Year Wise Syllabus which is followed by most of the university in the course is :-

Year 1	Year 2	Year 3
Microbial Ecology	Cytogenetics	Cancer Biology
Aquatic Mycology	Mycology	Sewage Microbes
Organic Farming	Animal Physiology	Plant Pathology
Nutritional Quality of Wild Legumes	Biodiversity of Wood-Rot Fungi	Environmental Biology
Genotoxicology	Endocrinology	Sericulture
Environmental Mutagenesis	Ecology of Cyanobacteria	Conservation Biology

Apart from the regular study, the student needs to do a research project under any mentorship and make a thesis for the same to complete the course.

The following books can be referred to in this course:-

Name of the book	Author
Molecular Biology of the cell	Alexander Johnson
Molecular Cell Biology	David Baltimore
The cell: a molecular approach	Geoffrey M. Cooper
Molecular Biology	David P. Clarke
Cell and Molecular Biology : Concepts and Experiments	Gerald Karp

PhD Molecular Biology Top Colleges

The top colleges that offer PhD Molecular Biology in India are listed below are some of the top institutes offering the course in India Including the location and average fees:

College Name	City	Average Fees
University of Madras	Chennai	INR 27,720
University of Delhi	New Delhi	INR 2,20,000
Jawaharlal Nehru University	New Delhi	INR 856
Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology	Bangalore	INR 1,20,000
Tezpur University	Assam	INR 25,000
Indian Institute of Science	Bangalore	INR 25,000
Birla Institute of Technology and Science	Pilani	INR 81,600

PhD Molecular Biology Distance Education

Distance Education is quite popular nowadays and holds equal importance as the regular course. There are various universities in India offering PhD Molecular Biology Distance Learning programmes. The syllabus and curriculum for both distance learning and regular course is the same. The only difference between both of them is that students with regular courses attend lectures and practical classes, however in distance learning, students have to study at home and attend semester examinations. Moreover, students opting for distance learning needs to complete their thesis at home.

The eligibility criteria for admission to a correspondence program or distance learning of course is same as the regular course

Top distance education universities for PhD Molecular Biology are mentioned below -

College/Institute	Location	Fees per Annum
IGNOU	Delhi	INR 20 K – INR 40K
YCMOU	Maharashtra	INR 5K – 20 K

PhD Molecular Biology Course Comparisons

The similar course as PhD Molecular Biology is PhD Cell Biology. However both of them teach some different approaches towards cell theory. The fees and placement packages are also similar. However, it totally depends on an individual to choose either of the courses as per their level of interest.

PhD Molecular Biology Vs. PhD Cell Biology

The comparison between PhD Molecular Biology and PhD Cell Biology are mentioned below:

Parameter	PhD in Molecular Biology	PhD in Cell Biology
Domain	Living cell functioning at molecular level	Cell functioning and structure
Overview	PhD Molecular biology gives a detailed study about the functioning of cells with respect to the molecular synthesis, interactions, nutrition effect on the particular cell etc.	PhD Cell Biology is a study about the functioning and structure of cells at the macro level and in general.
Duration	3 Years	3 Years
Eligibility	Masters in the respective field	Masters in the respective field
Average Annual Fee	INR 3-4 Lakhs	INR 3-6 Lakhs
Average Salary Offered	INR 3-6 LPA	INR 3-8 LPA

PhD Molecular Biology Jobs

PhD Molecular Biology opens various doors in terms of career and job options. After completing the course, one can get a job in the healthcare sector, pharmaceutical company, laboratories, hospitals, academic institutions and even the environmental sector. Some of the students also pursue their research with various private and government institutions. There are also some job options as biologist, forensic scientist, biomedical scientist, healthcare scientist, biotechnologist, food technologist, marine biologist, clinical research associate, microbiologist, pharmacologist, nanotechnologist, research scientist, water quality scientist, technical brewer, ecologist etc.

JOB POSITION	JOB DESCRIPTION	AVERAGE ANNUAL SALARY IN INR
Research Biologist	Research Biologists are responsible for recommending improvements to ensure quality, comparing actual results, evaluating existing research techniques, and suggesting solutions to correct the deviations. They may also prepare complete documentation of research activities.	INR 4,03,000
Microbiologist	Microbiologists are responsible for preventing, diagnosing and pronging of diseases, as well as health care, and they may carry out various functions such as epidemiological surveillance, quality auditing, biotechnology development, basic research, management and teaching related to the career, scientist management.	INR 2,91,000
Clinical Laboratory Scientist	Clinical Laboratory Scientists are responsible for information for patient diagnosis and treatment by performing laboratory tests in chemistry, toxicology, microbiology laboratories, and immunology. They maintain quality results by running standards, verifying equipment function, equipment maintenance, and monitoring quality measurements.	INR 6,90,000
Environmental Scientist	Environmental Scientists are responsible for investigative pieces exposing illegal activity, or emerging environmental problems. They also work in types of environmental journalism involving doing background research, sometimes including conducting interviews.	INR 8,95,000
Scientific Communications Manager	Scientific Communications Managers are responsible for ensuring that employees are aware of changes and projects within the company. They prepare presentations and conduct meetings to share information. They may also develop print materials and branding strategies for employee use.	INR 7,17,000

The salary after completing the course is around INR 5-10 lpa as per the job and the position. However, there are ample job opportunities after this course.

PhD Molecular Biology FAQs

Ques: What can you do with PhD in Molecular Biology?

Ans: The students after PhD in Molecular Biology can work as a Medical Scientist, Microbiologists, Biological Science Teacher, and Natural Science Managers in different organizations.

Ques: Is it important to put a research proposal at the time of admission?

Ans: Yes. The research proposal needs to be submitted either with the registration form or in the interview for a combined evaluation.

Ques: What is the difference between PhD in cell biology and PhD in molecular biology?

Ans: PhD in cell biology deals with the cell structure and functions, however PhD in Molecular Biology is a branch dedicated to the nature of the living cells at molecular level.

Ques: What jobs can a molecular biologist do?

Ans: A molecular biologist can work in Agriculture, Biochemist, Biomedical, Chemist, Technician and Epidemiologist department.

Ques: What are the minimum requirements to apply for PhD in molecular biology?

Ans: The candidate should have a master’s degree with 55% marks and a research proposal. The candidate is required to clear the entrance examination and interview for the admission.

Ques: Is molecular biology a good career?

Ans: Yes, A molecular biologist can work in ample of industries, companies or educational institution with an average starting salary of INR 5-10 LPA.

Ques: How much does it take to complete a PhD in Molecular Biology?

Ans: The fees in molecular biology depend upon the college. The average fees ranges from 25 k to 1 lacs per year. The PhD scholars are also awarded scholarships and stipend at the time of the course.

Ques: How many maximum years it takes to complete PhD in Molecular Biology?

Ans: As soon as the thesis are submitted and approved, PhD gets completed for a student. It takes minimum of 3 years and can be dragged to 6 years maximum.

Ques: What is the basic criterion considered to pass PhD in Molecular Biology?

Ans: Research Thesis is the main thing which is consider for passing the PhD degree apart from the basic subject examinations.

Ques: Is it possible to bag a position of lecturer after PhD in Molecular Biology?

Ans: Yes. A molecular biologist can apply for a post of professor or lecturer in any university. They can also bag a job of academician or research head in an educational university.