| Yes, it is time these cubs terminated a career | | | | listings a four-year engineering course offers a |
| hunting beetles and returned to their roots. The | | | | scoop of each for a student to pick for further |
| primary food chain has just reached an ideal | | | | education or for a career start in the industry. |
| ecological statistic to permit reunion of the nation's | | | | If the devil's advocate were to interject at this |
| staggering population of Biotechnologists (as | | | | point, he might say the wind is blowing every |
| engineers) with their Pride of yore. | | | | which way. Would our cubs then lose themselves |
| And it's not just about portly and brassy old | | | | as they gambol in it? The defense lays in this: that |
| opportunity; it's the choice in the face of | | | | direction is gleaned from experience and for many |
| opportunity's reclusive habits when it comes to | | | | the four years of engineering are quite prophetic. |
| Biotechnology. Most of us this year have been | | | | Just as in any other field, channels open up as you |
| loyal in our choices, thus far. Some of us, for | | | | move on and get more centered on your specific |
| instance have declined generous 'job' offers, | | | | area of interest. |
| knowing that all that glitters is not Biotechnology! | | | | A student may be proffered some guidance by |
| And while this may be a well-proven fact for the | | | | periodicals that talk of the industry, new products |
| countless other disciplines of the glittering kind, it | | | | and new firms. Doing short-term internships and |
| certainly is a matter noteworthy in our case. | | | | projects in the industry also ups the odds of being |
| In the course of four years, (the first being | | | | absorbed into these firms. While this may be a |
| fraught with ridicule at belonging in 'Biotech' and | | | | universal engineering paradigm, it does affect the |
| concomitant identity crises in an engineering | | | | prospects of a biotechnology graduate like no |
| college) we are probably the only department | | | | other. |
| that studies every subject under the blue sky: | | | | India in itself is a nexus of multiple fields, and |
| progeny, ancestors and even remote cousins of | | | | products of valuable service might be easier to |
| Biotechnology in warm familial bonding. | | | | take to her rustic backyard. |
| While this condition is aptly described by the title | | | | This is evidenced by the fact that our |
| that we presently bear as 'Jacks of all Trades | | | | government, namely DBT, New Delhi, and several |
| (and the remaining is unmentionable)', we have | | | | sub committees offer industrial training programs |
| finally seen the light at the end of the tunnel, | | | | and richly funded research projects that can give |
| because being Jacks of all trades is indeed a | | | | us better reach, and make resumes tastier to the |
| blessing. | | | | recruiter. |
| Need I elucidate? We know where to go next for | | | | While the downside is that the paycheck is just |
| fresh hunting ground. Whilst this statement might | | | | medium-small in the beginning, it grows with you, |
| inspire a vociferous resistance from most of you, | | | | and growth in this industry is quick and |
| think again. Here is the meat: | | | | respectable. If one is working in the Biomedical |
| Biotechnology spans several disciplines including | | | | field, for instance, in the private sector like I am, |
| food technology, agriculture, medicine and | | | | and developing a diagnostic device that could hit |
| environmental conservation. No graduate of this | | | | the market in the next two years or so, not only |
| field may be tagged a 'biotechnologist' and seek | | | | has one the satisfaction of having created a high |
| work in the 'biotechnology industry' but must keep | | | | impact product but also of having done something |
| her eyes peeled and ears perked for pockets of | | | | original and of service to humanity. And it doesn't |
| opportunity in these sub-disciplines. Alongside the | | | | end there! |