MSc Botany

Master of Science (M.Sc) in Botany, also called Plant Biology, is a post-graduate level Master degree course. It is generally of two years duration, but some universities offer three-year courses and 5 year integrated MSc-PhD courses in Botany as well. It is a very popular postgraduate level course among the bio-science candidate.

Admission to MSc Botany courses in most of the top universities & Science colleges are taken through entrance exams. It is compulsory for a candidate to have a minimum 55% marks in their bachelor's program  (preferably BSc with either Botany or biological sciences as the honors subject.) to be eligible to apply for admission.

National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) provides the rankings of all the top universities in India which provides master degree courses. In the table given below, we have provided the list of the  top universities which provide MSc Botany courses according to NIRF 2026 rankings.

The average cost of pursuing this course ranges from INR 37,000 to INR 1 Lakh per annum. The average salary earned after completing the degree is up to INR 4.75 Lakhs per annum. Rest depends primarily on the skills & knowledge of the graduates.

If a applicant wants to go for further studies after completing MSc degree in Botany, then they can pursue a PhD degree or M.Phil degree. A PhD degree is more valued to those who want to pursue a career in research and higher academics

MSc Botany program is best suited for the students who have completed their graduation in botany or integrated biology (biological sciences), & are looking to pursue a course that will have an adequate mix of mainstream biology along with genetics & biotechnology. During this course, a candidate is given a complete idea about the entire plant kingdom and plant physiology, along with some additional topics related to genetics and biotechnology, cell biology, microbiology, and ecology.                                                     

MSc Botany: What is it About?

MSc Botany teaches a student every aspect of plant physiology, their origin & their impact on the environment. It is also called Plant Biology. 

The course covers every aspect of the plant biology in great detail. It covers topics like plant physiology, plant kingdom, Taxonomy,& microbiology, genetics & ecology.

It is a two year long course which is generally divided into four semesters.

It is generally a theoretical course along with some opportunities for the  academic research which is accompanied with laboratory work.

The students completing this program generally go on to build a career in academics. Some students also go to the for research and higher studies.

The students willing to take Higher studies pursue PhD courses in the  Botany. After completing PhD degree they can go for jobs like professorship and senior research fellow.

Average salary earned by an MSc Botany graduate is around INR 4.57 Lakhs.

Helps the aspirant to get both practical  &theoretical hands on the subject.

MSc Botany Admission Process

Admission to MSc Botany courses in the  most of the top colleges and universities is entrance based but there are some universities which grant merit based admission also. Admission to  the MSc Botany courses is usually a four step process which is described below: 

Application for the course:

The applicant will need to  apply through the website for the course.

Most of the universities provide a joint application form for both the entrance examination and the course application.

Entrance Exam:

The entrance Examination is compulsory for most of the top universities. A candidate willing to take admission for the MSc Botany course will have to qualify the entrance examination.

Two of the top entrance examination are BHU PET, DU Entrance Exam, CUCET, AUCET, and many more.

Preparation of merit list for the counseling:

The universities will release a list of the successful candidates who will be called for interview and document verification.

A candidate must check the university website regularly for any updates in this issue.

Interview, Document verification & enrollment:

This is the final step for the admission process where the selected candidates are called for an the interview. The interviewer may or may not ask subject-based questions to the applicant depending on the policies of the institution.

During document verification,  and the candidate is required to present all the original transcripts and other documents essential to establish his eligibility.

After the eligibility is proved, he/she is granted admission to a course.

MSc Botany Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility criteria for admission to the  MSc Botany courses are discussed below:

A candidate must have a BSc degree with Honours preferably in Botany, Biological sciences & Life sciences, however, Zoology honours students can also apply.

The candidates should complete graduation with minimum 55% marks, but some very good universities also demand for 56 percentage marks.

A candidate should come to the course after a minimum of 10+2+3 years of continuous study, with the bio-science in 10+2 level.

The other eligibility criteria like age limit and caste-based eligibility criteria vary from University to University. Most of the top universities do not have age limit criteria. 

Most of the universities also conduct university and national level entrance tests for offering admission to this MSc Botany course. You need to score good numbers in entrance exams for securing admission in the college of your choice. Cutoff of these entrance examinations varies from university to university.

Why study the MSc Botany course?

An MSc Botany program comes with some unique advantages which are  discussed below: 

Huge diversity of jobs: An MSc Botany student can build a career in the  many paths. Starting from school teachers to microbiological and virological research, many of different fields and job profiles are open for these candidates.

In demand course for career in academics: This course is an in-demand course, specifically for the academic sector. Most of schools prefer to a appoint MSc Botany candidates as teachers.

Increasing demand in  the research: With each passing day, the demand for MSc Botany candidates in  research field is increasing. The need to the  tackle problems like global warming, deforestation and increasing thirst for knowing about new plants and their importance has led to an ever-increasing demand for the  Botany based candidates in the field of research.

After completing your post-graduate studies in Botany, you will be serving under the finest & reputed organizations.

Offers the aspirant with an option to go for further studies or doctoral-level studies.

It provides you with the opportunity to work in the  various departments of government institutions.

MSc Botany Colleges

There are numerous colleges and universities offering this MSc Botany course on their campus. Few of a those colleges and universities are listed below with their admission process in MSc in the  Botany course. 

• Miranda House, Delhi
  
• Hindu College, Delhi
• Hansraj College, Delhi
• Sri Venkateswara College, Delhi
• Osmania University, Telangana
• Fergusson College, Maharashtra
• Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala
• Bethune College, Kolkata
• Sacred Heart College, Kerala
• St. Teresa’s College, Kerala 

MSc Botany Subjects

The course incorporates core courses, electives, & practical. The delivery methods for M.Sc. Botany courses involve theoretical classes, lab work, hands-on the practical training, workshops, etc. The course syllabus comprises all the subjects related to microbes, plants, genetics, cells, and other related topics. 

Syllabus for this course may vary with the institute to institute but it generally covers the same topics. You can find below in  the MSc Botany syllabus semester-wise, to keep a track of the topics covered in this course during each semester. 

MSc Botany Jobs Prospects

There are a number of jobs and career options available after this course. MSc Botany opens you to the  wider range of job opportunities and sectors where you can apply for. The opportunities for botany graduates are widespread over both the public and private sectors. 

In the public sector, opportunities await in areas like public health service, national park services, department of agriculture, forest service, departments of conservation, and land management. In the private sectors, And the opportunities are in the oil industry, food companies, seed companies, fruit growers, and biotechnology firms. 

MSc Botany candidates with a good hold of genetics and biotechnology can pursue a career in biotechnological research on various species of bacteria, algae, and fungi, which are quite popular nowadays.

There is no end in the findings of new plants. A bulk majority of plant species are still unknown & research are continuously going on to know about them. They are sure to grow in the future.

Benefits of MSc Botany are :-

MSc Botany course provides you with career options in many different kinds of fields. Also, it has a huge benefit in  future too.

Today, most of the problems our world is facing are related to the field of Botany. The problems  are related to forests, climate change, desertification, etc, can be easily solved with a better understanding of Botany. So, most of the nations are moving toward solving these problems, which is creating huge job opportunities for the  MSc Botany candidates.

One can also go for advanced or higher education courses after the  completing an MSc Botany degree. Few of them are discussed below for your reference: