B.Sc.

BSc or Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate degree of three years duration which is universally offered across institutes and universities across India. BSc is one of the most popular courses opted by students who have a flair for scientific aptitude and zeal for research-oriented and calculative approaches based on a proven systematic method. Science is all about experimentation, research and discovery. A BSc degree is a culmination of both theoretical and practical ways of learning. Pursuing a BSc degree also opens up multiple avenues for a student and he/she can either opt for higher studies in Science or any other discipline which may be related or different from the subjects studied during graduation. However,  Master of Science (MSc)  is the most popular higher education alternative opted by students after completing BSc.

A BSc programme can be further classified into two categories – BSc Honours and BSc General or Pass. The former focuses on one major subject area. The curriculum is designed to keep more focus on the Honours subject, and also includes subjects or papers from the elective subjects students opt for. The purpose of studying BSc Honours programme is to inculcate theoretical, practical and research skills among students.

On the other hand, the BSc General programme provides basic knowledge of the major Science subjects to the students. The curriculum is slightly lesser rigorous, but it includes both the theoretical and practical components.

The pedagogy of BSc programmes is a combination of theory and practical lessons. The BSc curriculum includes practical lessons which carry a considerable amount of weightage. To pass a semester, students need to pass both the theory as well practical exams. Subjects such as Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Mathematics form the core of the BSc degree. There are a plethora of specialisations and branches offered in the BSc course.

Here we bring the list of top BSc specialisations and branches:

• BSc Physics 
• BSc Chemistry
• BSc Biology
• BSc Mathematics 
• BSc IT (Information Technology)
• BSc Computer Science
• BSc Microbiology 
• BSc Biotechnology 
• BSc Biochemistry
• BSc Botany
• BSc Zoology
• BSc Nursing
• BSc Fashion Design
• BSc Animation
• BSc Hospitality
• BSc Agriculture
• BSc Geography
• BSc Economics

The BSc eligibility criteria are as follows:

• Candidates should clear Class 12 in the Science stream with a minimum of 50 per cent to 60 per cent aggregate from a recognised board. It may be noted that the minimum percentage required for BSc admissions may vary depending on the policy of the university/ college in which a candidate is applying. 
• Candidates must have studied Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics (PCM) or Physics, Chemistry and Biology as core subject combinations.
• Generally, there is no age limit for pursuing BSc unless specified by an institute's eligibility criteria

Also Read: What is BSc course all about? Know the Full Form, Eligibility & Scope

The BSc admission process is generally conducted in two modes, either through merit or through entrance exams. The BSc admission process depends on the university.

BSc Admission Process – Merit-Based: The University or college releases course-wise cutoff aggregate. Applicants fulfilling the eligibility and cut off criteria are offered provisional admission. Applicants have to visit the institute for document verification purposes and pay the admission fee to get admission to the institute.

BSc Admission Process – Entrance Based: There are a number of colleges and universities that conduct the BSc admission process through entrance exams. Upon qualifying in these entrance exams, they are shortlisted for further admission process including counselling rounds. Some of the top BSc entrance exams and their participating institutes are listed in the table below.

The table below brings the list of top BSc entrance exams along with their conducting body and programmes offered through them.

Also Read: Top BSc Entrance Exams in India

Popular BSc Scholarships in India

BSc serves as a foundation for candidates who have a keen interest to build a career in the field of Science. Basic skills and traits that candidates should have to pursue a BSc course are:

As already mentioned above, BSc can be pursued in different Science subjects - Some of the popular ones are Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Computer Science, etc. Apart from this, candidates can also choose to pursue a BSc program course that focuses on all major subjects of Science. Given below is an overview of the subjects taught in BSc Physics, BSc Mathematics, BSc Chemistry and BSc Computer Science:

Physics

Mathematics

Chemistry

Computer Science

Depending on their respective subjects, BSc graduates can find jobs in various sectors such as educational institutes, healthcare industry, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology industry, chemical industry, research firms, testing laboratories, wastewater plants, oil industry, and the list continues. However, it is advisable that BSc students first complete their MSc degree and then look for a job since MSc would enrich their knowledge and practical learning. Moreover, companies often prefer their prospective employees to have a master's degree than a bachelor's degree. 

Given below are popular job profiles that BSc graduates can take up after completing the course:

• Research Scientist: A research scientist is responsible for undertaking as well as analysing information obtained from laboratory-based experiments and investigations. A research scientist may work for government labs, specialist research organisations and environmental organisations.
• Scientific Assistant: A scientific assistant is a professional who provides complete support to the scientist in research. 
• Quality Control Manager: A quality control manager ensures that products of a particular company meet set quality and efficiency standards. The manager plans, directs and coordinates quality assurance programmes and also formulates various quality control policies.
• Statistician: A statistician gathers different numerical data of a company and then displays it, thereby helping them to analyse quantitative data and spot trends.
• Teacher: A Science teacher is typically involved in tasks such as preparing lesson plans, evaluating student performances and teaching through lectures and technology.   
• Technical Writer: A technical writer writes articles and prepares instruction manuals and other supporting documents to communicate technical information easily.
• Lab Chemist: A lab chemist analyses chemicals and creates new compounds that are useful in different aspects of human life. Research and testing are two crucial job responsibilities of a lab chemist.

The table below brings some of the top job profiles offered to BSc graduates along with the average salary offered.

Also Read: Job Options after BSc Degree – Know Salary Packages

Some of the top recruiters for BSc graduates are:

Q. Which BSc course is best?

A. There are a variety of BSc courses offered by different colleges in India. The best BSc course depends on one’s interest area. However, here is a list of some popular BSc courses that offer good job opportunities after graduation:

• BSc Computer Science

• BSc Mathematics

• BSc Agriculture

• BSc Horticulture

• BVSc (Veterinary Science)

• BSc Forestry

• BSc Biotechnology

• BFSc (Fisheries Science)

• BSc Nursing

• BSc Nautical Science

• BSc Physics

Q. What are some of the popular BSc courses that can be pursued after Class 12?

A. There are several popular science and course choices after Class 12. BE/BTech, MBBS, Bachelor of Architecture (BArch), BSc, Bachelor of Computer Applications (BCA), BSc (IT & Software), Post Basic Nursing, Bachelor of Pharmacy (BPharma) etc. are some popular science options after Class 12.

Q. What are the government job options after BSc?

A. Below are some government job opportunities after BSc:

• State Government-Assistant Officer/JE through SSC CGL

• Indian Railways-Assistant Officer/JE through RRB entrance exam

• Public Sector Bank-Probationary Officer IBPS PO

• SBI Bank-Probationary Officer SBI PO

• Forest Department-IFS Officer-UPSC

• AIIMS Nursing Officer-AIIMS Nursing Exam etc.

Q. What to do after BSc?

A. Here are top academic courses one can pursue after BSc:

• MSc (Master of Science)

• MCA (Master of Computer Application)

• MBA (Master of Business Administration)

• Part- or full-time Data Science courses

• Part- or full-time Machine Learning courses

Q. Is BSc course offered in IITs?

A. Majority of the IITs do not offer BSc but MSc courses. However, few IITs such as IIT Kharagpur and IIT Kanpur offer BSc and integrated BSc courses to students.

IIT Kharagpur courses

• Integrated BSc (Hons.) + MSc in Physics

• Integrated BSc (Hons.) + MSc in Mathematics and Computing

• Integrated BSc (Hons.) + MSc in Applied Geology

• Integrated BSc (Hons.) + MSc in Economics

• Integrated BSc (Hons.) + MSc in Chemistry

• Integrated BSc (Hons.) + MSc in Statistics and Informatics

IIT Kanpur courses

• BS in Economics

• BS in Physics

• BS in Mathematics and Scientific Computing

• BS in Earth Science

• BS in Chemistry

Q. Which college is best for BSc?

A. According to NIRF 2021 ranking, below are India's top three science colleges.

• Miranda House, New Delhi

• Lady Sriram College for Women, New Delhi

• Loyola College, Chennai

Q. Is BSc better than BTech?

A. BTech (Bachelor of Technology) is usually considered better as compared to BSc as it is a 4 years technical professional course, which has good career opportunities.

Q. How to do BSc in private or distance learning mode?

A. BSc is an undergraduate degree course popular among Science students after Class 12. It is a regular course but many colleges/universities also offer BSc courses from distance education. Here are some popular colleges offering BSc in distance mode:

• IGNOU (Indira Gandhi National Open University)

• Andhra University, Visakhapatnam

• Nalanda Open University (NOU)

• University of Madras, Institute of Distance Education

• Wisdom School of Management, Lucknow

Q. Which is the best degree among BA and BSc to crack the IAS exam?

A. Both BA and BSc are equivalent degrees for IAS exam preparations. Whichever stream you choose, ultimately your preparation and technique will make you a winner.

Q. What are the top companies hiring BSc graduates?

A. Google, IBM, Yahoo, Wipro, Amazon are among many other companies that hire BSc graduates depending on their specialisation.

Q. What are the most popular BSc specialisations in India?

A. BSc in Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics, Computer Science, Botany, Zoology, Animation, Mathematics and many other courses are some popular BSc specialisations in India.