Biochemical Engineering: Course Fee, Admission 2025, Subjects/Syllabus, Top Colleges, Entrance Exams, Career & Salary

The overall Biochemical Engineering course duration in India differs on the basis of the course level, whether it is a diploma, UG, PG, or PhD course. In the case of a UG course in Biochemical Engineering, the course duration will spread across 8 semesters, that is, 4 years. Meanwhile, in the case of a PG Biochemical Engineering course, you need to invest 2 years' time, where the focus will be more on research in the biochemical and biotechnology field and will give you a deep understanding of the overall application of theoretical knowledge. You should think carefully about your interests and passions before planning to pursue a master's degree in the field. The PhD course will go on for 3 to 6 years. 

There are a plethora of skills that Biochemical Engineering students need to have to become successful in their careers. It is not mandatory that one gains these skills in a classroom setting rather they must be acquired through experience.

So, students must always look for opportunities to learn new skills and gain as much experience as possible. Some of the important skills in general include:

·       Laboratory Skills

·       Analytical and Problem-Solving Aptitude

·       Good Research Abilities

·       Technical Knowledge

·       Critical Thinking and Collaborative Spirit

·       Attention to Detail

Hi,

Both of the degrees offer career opportunities that candidates can grab and pursue their career goals. But there are some differences between them which is given in the table below:

Hope this helps !

The major differences between Biotechnology and Biochemical Engineering are given in the table below:

Definitely Yes,  candidates who have studied Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics can also pursue Biochemical Engineering course since the requirement of studying Biology generally arises for BSc Biotechnology and not BTech courses. Therefore, candidates will be offered common electives in  the field of Biology which they can pursue while undergoing BTech in Biochemical Engineering. Moreover, PCB students can also study this course but they must have also studied Mathematics in order to appear for JEE.

This cannot be said with any certainty. The time involved varies from one institution to another. Every educational institute has their own procedure that they adhere to for admitting students to a variety of engineering courses. The time involved in the Biochemical Engineering admission process can easily take up to a few months. After you get done with your entrance exam, the general procedure that follows includes the declaration of exam results, applying for the counselling process in the virtual mode, seat allotment on the basis of your exam rank, and admission confirmation from your end by visiting the college and paying the Biochemical Engineering course fee.

Here's the basic list of documents that you will need during the admission process for Biochemical Engineering courses:

·       Graduation or Post graduation Mark sheet (In the case of PG/ PhD courses)

·       Provisional Certificate (if the original is not issued)

·       Class 12th mark sheet with at least 50 to 60% marks in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology/ Mathematics subjects.

·       A valid ID proof like Adhaar Card, PAN Card, etc.

·       Migration and character certificates, if required.

·       Recent passport-size photographs

You typically hace to complete Class 12th from the Science stream (mainly PCM) with aggreagte marks ranging from 50 to 75 percent. While some universities can accept Biology too. 

Government university may require national-level entrance score like JEE Main or other states-level exams like WBJEE and TSEAMCET as per state level top colleges. 

Most of the engineering colleges in India accept national level exam JEE Main for admission to the undergraduate engineering programs. On the other hand, admission to the PG engineering programs offered at colleges is done via GATE scores. Candidates must prepare for the various important topics for GATE in Chemical Engineering which helps in securing admission in MTech Biochemical Engineering. Some of these topics include:

•  Engineering Mathematics
• Process Calculations and Thermodynamics
• Fluid Mechanics and Mechanical Operations
• Chemical Reaction Engineering
• Chemical Technology

Some of the popular exams for admission to Biochemical Engineering programs in India include:

National-Level Exams- JEE Main, JEE Advanced, GATE, CUET, etc.

Sate-Level Exams- Karnataka PGCET, WBJEE, KEAM, TS EAMCET, TNEA Counselling, etc.

Some universities also admit students on the basis of Class 12 marks and take extra assessment rounds like PI or GD rounds in such cases. You should check the admission guidelines for your preferred universities on their official websites. 

There isn't any minimum score required for Biochemical Engineering itself. However, it is recommeneded to score a good rank in JEE Main in order to get a specialisation of your choice. 

Moreover, it also depends from university to university as the eligibility crietria vary. 

GATE exam is conducted only once a year to offer admissions to master's and PhD programs at top institutions, such as IITs and NITs. Qualifying GATE exam also paves the way for technical jobs in in PSUs. This year, IIT Roorkee is conducting the GATE 2025 exam on Feb 1, 2, 15, and 16, 2025 in two sessions - morning and afternoon. 

You have to apply on the official TNEA website. Engineering colleges in the state of Tamil Nadu offer admission based on the results of the Tamil Nadu Engineering Admissions TNEA exam.

1. The Tamil Nadu Directorate of Technical Education is in charge of conducting this exam. Following the exam, seats are assigned in engineering colleges through the TNEA counselling process.
2. After the results are released, you must register on the official TNEA website in order to take part in TNEA counselling.
3. On the TNEA website, you have to fill out the application form, pay the counselling fees, and list your choices. 4. After the application process is finished, the TNEA will publish a list of seats allocated according to ranks.

WBJEE 2025 exam date has been announced. WBJEE 2025 will be held as a pen-and-paper-based test on April 27, 2025. While filling out the WBJEE application form, the candidates will have to select their preferred exam city preferences. WBJEE will be of 4 hours in duration and the candidates will have to attempt two papers - Paper 1 (Mathematics) and Paper 2 (Physics and Chemistry). 

Main subjects in Biochemical Engineering courses are as follows:

• Biology and Biochemistry
• Chemical engineering Principles
• Microbiology
• Bioprocess Engineering
• Maths and Statistics
• Bioinformatics
• Bioreaction Engineering

The coursework for Biochemical Engineering is an interesting mix of theoretical knowledge as well as practical lab work. Biochemical engineers have to work together with the team of technologists and biologists, the people who discover a drug component, for instance, and look at how it can be manufactured and scaled up so that there is enough of the pharmaceutical to give to the patients.

For this, it is very important for students pursuing this course to apply their understanding by engaging in hands-on lab work as it will help them do well in the business world.

There are 19 government Biochemical Engineering colleges in India. Some of the most well-known colleges along with their course fee for the course are given below:

There are 41 private Biochemical Engineering colleges in India. You must go through their course fee structure before taking the final call. Some of the popular colleges along with their course fee for the course are given below:

Various colleges offer MTech course in Biochemical Engineering on the basis of GATE scores. Candidates can prepare for IIT Delhi

The scope for biochemical engineering in India is quite promising, driven by several factors:

Thriving healthcare and pharmaceuticals: India is fast emerging as a hub for healthcare and pharmaceutical companies, and there is a demand for dedicated workers who can come up with drugs and vaccines, or design medical instruments. Some large products of biochemical engineering include the invention of bioreactor technology in the large scale production of these products with a positive spin on the accessibility of health facilities.

Growing food and beverage sector: The growing food industry including processed and packaged food gives biochemical engineers the opportunity of employment in food processing, preservation and quality analysis.

Focus on renewable energy: Specifically, biochemical engineers can help India achieve its clean energy policy by utilizing feedstocks of Agricultural residues, other renewable raw materials for the production of bio-fuels.

Environmental concerns: In dealing with environmental concerns, biochemical engineers are capable to incorporate the necessary measures in the design of wastewater treatment and bioremediation of contaminated sites and designing of environmentally friendly manufacturing processes to reduce pollution production.

Biochemical engineers get involved in things like developing new vaccines against diseases, cleaning up pollution using microorganisms, designing new chemicals, or new fuels that benefit in sustainability as well. They engineer microorganisms to produce such a variety of molecules to make the world better.

For instance, a Biochemical Engineer might work with people who discover a drug component and work with them to look at how it can be manufactured and scaled up so that there is enough of the pharmaceutical to give to patients. Biotechnology has the capacity to design organisms, produce a variety of components, make new biomaterials, or manufacture pharmaceuticals. This gives biochemical engineers a lot of projects to work on.

Choice of B.Tech degree in Biochemical Engineering makes a lot of sense as being a combination of Engineering and Biotechnology it offers immense opportunities in numerous fields. Here are some exciting possibilities you can explore after graduating:

Further Education-

Master's Degree: To advance one’s career, one can consider enrolling for a Master of Science in Biochemical Engineering or Biotechnology or any related field to get a further degree and specialty.
MBA: MBA together with your degree in BTech would provide you with knowledge and skills in business management coupled with knowledge in the bio-industry that will make you the best person for management jobs.

Employment in Diverse Industries-

• Pharmaceuticals and Biotechnology: This is something biochemical engineers can easily relate to. Career opportunities in this field can include fine-tuning pathways to manufacture drugs at various capacities, engineering structures known as bioreactors, or enhancing techniques commonly referred to as fermentation.
• Food and Beverage Industry: It is useful in food processing, providing solutions to methods of fermentations as in brewing or yogurt-making, food quality assurance or even creating new foods.
• Biofuels and Renewable Energy: Work towards India’s commitment of providing clean energy to its citizens by modeling and analyzing the bio-refineries for deriving fuel from agricultural residues or any other renewable feedstock.
• Chemicals and Petrochemicals: The rules of biochemical engineering can be useful to invent bio-similar materials for conventional chemicals, improve production cycles or design equipment for biochemical transformations.
• Environmental Engineering: Tackle the environmental problems by developing the processes to treat the wastewater, remove pollutants from the contaminated sites or to invent the environmentally friendly industrial processes to reduce amount of wastes produced.

Hi,

Biochemical engineers are like "chefs" for biological processes, using microorganisms and enzymes to produce valuable products like drugs, food, and biofuels. Moreover,  Biomedical engineers are like "mechanics" for the human body, designing and building technologies to diagnose, treat, and improve human health. To understand the key differentiation refer to the table given below:

Hope this helps !

Here are some tips for shaping your career in biochemical engineering in India:

• Academics: Focus on core subjects like biochemistry,  microbiology,  thermodynamics,  and process engineering.
• Internships: Gain practical experience in research labs,  food processing plants,  or pharmaceutical companies.
• Projects: Participate in research projects or industry-linked projects to apply your knowledge and develop technical skills.
• Emerging areas: Consider specializing in high-demand areas like biofuels,  biomaterials,  or synthetic biology.
• Personal interest: Choose a specialisation that aligns with your research interests and career goals.
• Read industry publications and journals: Keep abreast of the latest advancements in the field.
• Attend continuing education courses: Update your skills and knowledge through professional development programs.

Bonus tip: Consider pursuing higher education like a Master's degree or Ph.D. to advance your career and open doors to research and academia.

 Placement for Biochemical Engineering in IITs varies but tends to be strong, with graduates securing jobs in diverse fields:

Positives:

• High average salary: Graduates often enjoy competitive salaries,  averaging well above national averages.
• Top recruiters: Leading companies in healthcare,  pharmaceuticals,  food and beverage,  and renewable energy actively recruit from IITs.
• Research opportunities: Many pursue postgraduate studies or research positions due to the strong academic background offered by IITs.

Variations:

• Specific IITs: Placement records differ between IITs,  with older and more established ones generally having stronger placements.
• Specialization: Graduates with specialised skills in high-demand areas like biofuels or biomaterials often see even better placement prospects.

Hi,

The Biochemical Engineering course can be challenging and rewarding both at the same time:

• It merges chemistry, biology, and engineering needs to master various concepts and adapting between sub-fields.
• New developments in biotechnology can be time-consuming, requiring patience and perseverance through setbacks.
• Keeping up with advancd biotechnologies and advancements can need continuous learning and adaptation.
• Bioengineering generates ethical concerns such as GMOs and synthetic biology, requiring careful navigation and responsible practices.

Hope this helps to resolve your query !

Candidates can pursue PhD in Biochemical Engineering after completing MTech in Chemical Engineering or any other related specialisation. Candidates need to clear the Research Eligibility Test as well as interview in order to secure admission to PhD course. A handful of colleges offer PhD courses in Biochemical Engineering such as:

• Harcourt Butler Technical University, Kanpur
• Indrashil University