The advantages of taking the biology stream at the higher secondary level

The advantages of taking the biology stream at the higher secondary level
B.S. WARRIER for THE HINDU

We explore the range of higher study options available for those opting for the biology-physics-chemistry combination at the higher secondary level.

Successful: Graduate doctors during a convocation function of AIIMS, New Delhi.; studying there could be an option for those who have chosen biology, physics and chemistry.

Those who have studied biology, physics and chemistry as optional subjects in the higher secondary classes can go for medical and allied degree programmes. Several States conduct joint entrance examinations that lead the candidates to a wide variety of medical and agricultural courses. For example, the medical-agricultural entrance examination in Kerala opens the door to 15 Bachelor’s degree courses — MBBS, BDS (dental surgery), nursing, pharmacy, medical labor atory technology, Ayurveda, homoeopathy, Siddha, nursing (Ayurveda), pharmacy (Ayurveda), physiotherapy, agriculture, fisheries science, forestry and veterinary science.

In some States, marks in the higher secondary examination are the basis of selection. There are instances when the ranking is made based on the aggregate of the marks in the higher secondary examination and in an entrance examination.

Let us now look into the possibilities for selection at the national level.

•All-India Pre-Medical and Dental Entrance Examination: Participation in this examination gives the candidates access to 15 per cent seats in the MBBS and BDS programmes in all public sector medical and dental colleges in India. However, Andhra Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir are not in the scheme.

The total seats available are much more than the total number of seats in all the government and aided medical and dental colleges in any one State.

Usually, students prepare well for the entrance tests in their respective States, and appear in the all-India test based on the strength of this preparation. It should be borne in mind that one should make special preparation in tune with the demands of the particular competitive test in which one intends to appear.

Special preparation has, therefore, to be made for appearing in the All-India Pre-Medical and Dental Examination, although the syllabi are more or less the same for all the medical entrance tests in the country.

•The All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi – 110 608

•Christian Medical College, Vellore and Ludhiana: The candidates can apply for admission to a variety of degrees courses in medicine, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, nursing and medical laboratory technology. The majority of seats are reserved for students belong to the Christian community. Certain supporting bodies and churches have been authorised to certify candidates under the sponsored category. Christians who have applied under the sponsored category will be given a test of Bible knowledge.

•Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER ), Puducherry.

•The Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC), Wanowrie, Pune. A total of 130 seats (105 for boys and 25 for girls) are available. No fee has to be paid. Accommodation is provided free of cost. Rations, book allowance, uniform allowance, AC 3-Tier railway warrant for journey during vacation from college to home and back, and other facilities are provided to the selected candidates. The candidate must be in good physical and mental health, and free from any disability which is likely to bar them from serving in the Armed Forces. On completion of the course, the candidates will be commissioned as officers in the Armed Forces Medical Services.

•The Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, selects candidates for admission to MBBS and BAMS (Ayurveda) degree courses.

•The Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Sevagram, Wardha, conducts an entrance test that comprises a descriptive paper on Gandhian thought, in addition to the usual objective paper in biology, physics and chemistry. The test is usually held at Hyderabad, Nagpur, Mumbai and Delhi.

•Bharati Vidyapeeth University, Pune: Any Indian national who satisfies the conditions of eligibility with regard to educational qualification and age can seek admission to the MBBS programme in the medical colleges at Pune and Sangli.

•Manipal University: Kasturba Medical Colleges at Manipal and Mangalore

•Sri Ramachandra Medical College and Research Institute, Porur, Chennai, 600 116: MBBS, BDS, BPT, B.Sc. (nursing), B.Pharm. and B.Sc. (speech and hearing)

•Annamalai University, Annamalainagar, Tamil Nadu: MBBS, BDS, BPT and B.Sc. (nursing)

•All-India Agricultural Entrance: The ICAR (Indian Council of Agricultural Research) holds an entrance examination every year at the national level for selection of candidates to 15 per cent seats in all public sector institutions running Bachelor’s degree courses in agriculture, horticulture, forestry, fisheries, sericulture and so on. The institutions include 39 State agricultural universities, the Central Agricultural University, Imphal, and Central universities having Agriculture faculty — namely Banaras Hindu University, Visva-Bharati and Nagaland University. All the seats in the degree course in dairy science at the National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, are filled based on the ranks in this test. Further, these ranks decide the selection of candidates for the National Talent Scholarship (NTS). A scholarship of Rs. 1,000 a month will be awarded to all those selected in this examination and join any university in ICAR-SAU (State Agricultural University) system, located outside their State of domicile.

•All-India Veterinary Entrance Examination: The Veterinary Council of India conducts a common entrance examination at the national level for selection of candidates for admission to 15 per cent seats in the B.V.Sc.&A.H. (Bachelor of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry) course in all public sector institutions in the country. Jammu and Kashmir, however, does not come under the scheme. Job prospects are bright for veterinary graduates.

One may not scale great heights in the field of medicine on the strength of an MBBS degree.

Even for normal practice, patients will look for doctors with postgraduate or super-specialty qualifications.

But in the veterinary field, normal practice can flourish with a Bachelor’s degree. If, however, a candidate seeks admission to a postgraduate degree programme, it would not be difficult to achieve, since most of the veterinarians carry on with their practice on the strength of the first degree.

Opportunities are there in animal husbandry departments of State governments, cattle, dairy and poultry farms, piggeries, zoos, private veterinary hospitals, remount veterinary corps in the armed forces, pharmaceutical industry, wildlife preserves, sanctuaries, racecourses, cattle breeding units, research laboratories and so on. There is good scope for private practice as well.