Entry Level Qualification 

Graduate

Career Fields 

Mathematics & Science

For Specially Abled 

Career Entrance Exam 

GATE

About Career 

Botanists are the scientists who study and research on plant life. Botanists study evolution, physiology, genetics, anatomy, morphology, ecology, etc. of plants. Botanists also study herbal plants, medicinal plants, food crops, fruits and flowering plants, etc. They play an important role in human life as they work to find different varieties of edible plants and works on the growth of these plants. Human nutrition depends on plants to a large extent and thus Botanists are important to human life. As a Botanist, you will do research in several fields including plant structure, growth, reproduction, biochemistry, metabolism, development, diseases, evolution and taxonomy. This research helps in providing food, timber, oil, rubber, fibre, horticulture, agriculture, plant propagation, forestry, etc

Botanist also works on forest conservation and management. As a botanist, you will also work towards the conservation of water and soil.

Key roles and responsibilities

As a botanist, depending on your field of specialisation, you would have the following roles and responsibilities:

1. You will prepare research and technical reports like environmental impact reports and communicate the same to the government, environmental bodies, industries, public.

2. You will collect and analyse biological data to understand more about plants and their behaviour in the ecology. You will also interpret the result of these data.

3. You will examine different kinds of plants and trees species.

4. As a botanist, you will work to find and explore new species of plants and describing features and specifications of these species.

5. Based on these features, you will also categorise these species in different plant systems.

6. As a botanist, you will work to improve the health of plant species so that they can thrive and survive.

7. As a botanist, you will work in laboratories to study the physical structure and component of plants.

8. As a botanist, you will conduct research to find all human application of plants.

9. As a botanist, you will be working at a different location around the globe and collect plant sample for laboratory research and analysis. These locations can be remote places like Antarctica or the sea bed.

Career Entry Pathway 

Class 10 all subjects as per scheme of studies– Class 11-12 Physics, Chemistry and Biology along with any other subject as per scheme of studies – UG in B.Sc. (Horticulture / Agriculture / Floriculture / Forestry / Botany / Plant Science/ similar field) – PG in M.Sc. in (Horticulture / Agriculture / Floriculture / Forestry / Botany/ similar field) – Ph.D. in Botany /similar field

After Class 11-12 Physics, Chemistry and Biology along with any other subject as per scheme of studies and then study for an undergraduate science degree in Horticulture / Agriculture / Floriculture / Forestry / Botany / Plant Science/ similar field (Honours or specialisation is an advantage) followed by a master’s degree in Science stream in Horticulture / Agriculture / Floriculture / Forestry / Botany / Plant Science/ similar field. After a Master’s Degree, you can take a Ph.D. in Botany similar field.

Required Qualification & Competencies 

You can do an undergraduate science degree in Horticulture / Agriculture / Floriculture / Forestry / Botany / Plant Science/ similar field (Honours or specialisation is an advantage) followed by a master’s degree in Science stream in Horticulture / Agriculture / Floriculture / Forestry / Botany / Plant Science/ similar field. After a Master’s Degree, you can take a PhD in Botany similar field. You can study your Master’s and PhD in any of the following fields:

1. Botany

2. Nematology

3. Other Plant Sciences

4. Phytochemistry

5. Plant Biochemistry

6. Plant Biology

7. Plant Biotechnology

8. Plant Breeding & Genetics

9. Plant Genetic Resources

10. Plant Microbiology

11. Plant Molecular Biology & Biotechnology

12. Plant Pathology

13. Plant Physiology

14. Plant Sciences
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Compentencies Required

Interests

1. Investigative: You should have interests for Investigative Occupations. Investigative occupations involve working with ideas and quite a lot of thinking, often abstract or conceptual thinking. These involve learning about facts and figures; involve use of data analysis, assessment of situations, decision making and problem-solving.

2. Realistic: You should have interests for Realistic Occupations. Realistic occupations involve more practical and hands-on activities than paperwork or office work. Realistic occupations often involve physical activities for getting things done using various tools and equipment. 

Abilities

1. Abstract Reasoning: The ability to understand ideas which are not expressed in words or numbers; the ability to understand concepts which are not clearly expressed verbally or otherwise.

2. Deductive Reasoning: The ability to apply general rules and common logic to specific problems to produce answers that are logical and make sense. For example, understanding the reasons behind an event or a situation using general rules and common logic.

3. Flexibility of Closure: The ability to identify or detect a pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden among other distracting materials.

4. Inductive Reasoning: The ability to combine pieces of information from various sources, concepts, and theories to form general rules or conclusions. For example, analysing various events or situations to come out with a set of rules or conclusions.

5. Inter-Personal: The ability to build and maintain good relationships with others at workplaces and elsewhere.

6. Naturalistic Intelligence: The ability to recognise different flora and fauna of the world; sensitivity towards nature and natural surrounding; sensitivity towards the needs of different flora and fauna.

7. Verbal Reasoning: The ability to think and reason with words; the ability to reason out ideas expressed in words.

8. Written Comprehension: The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

Knowledge

Biological Sciences: Knowledge of plants and animals, their anatomical structure, cell structure, tissues, physiological functions, evolution, and all other related aspects.

Skills

1. Active Learning: Focused and continuous learning from various sources of information, observation and otherwise for application in getting work done.

2. Communication in English: Skills in communicating effectively in writing as well as verbally with others in the English language.

3. Coordination: Skills in working together with other people to get things done.

4. Critical Thinking: Skills in the analysis of complex situations, using of logic and reasoning to understand the situations and take appropriate actions or make interpretations and inferences.

5. Judgment and Decision Making: Skills in considering pros and cons of various decision alternatives; considering costs and benefits; taking appropriate and suitable decisions.

6. Problem Solving: Skills in analysis and understanding of problems, evaluating various options to solve the problems and using the best option to solve the problems.

7. Reading Comprehension: Skills in understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

8. Scientific: Skills in using various scientific rules and methods to get things done or solve problems.

Personality

1. You are somewhat organised in your day-to-day life and activities.

2. You are somewhat careful about your actions and behaviour.

3. You are imaginative sometimes.

4. You prefer to experience new things and have new experiences sometimes.

5. You act independently sometimes but do not do so in some other times.

6. You are always practical or in most situations.

Career - Job Opportunities & Profiles 

1. Most of the universities and college will hire you as a professor at the position of Assistant Professor.

2. If you are into research, then you will be hired at the position of research associate. Ph.D. research fellows will be hired as a Junior Research Fellow.

3. As a Project Fellow or Project Assistant with Botanical Survey of India.

4. Research laboratories and Research Institutes will hire you as a scientist/scientist officer with the lowest grade (Grade C).

5. Plant Scientist at private organizations into agrarian solutions, agriculture products, MNCs using the plant as raw material, herbal product companies.

You can find job opportunities at the following facilities:

1. Botanical Survey of India

2. Agricultural Research Organizations and institutes.

3. National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries

4. Agriculture, Plant Science, and related colleges and universities.

5. Research centres and laboratories like National Institute of Plant Research Genome, Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute, etc.

6. Fertiliser Plants

7. Herbal Products company like toothpaste manufacturers, Patanjali, Dabur, etc.

Work Environment

As a botanist, you will be mostly involved in research work. Most of your research will be in the field especially research farms. You will have a regular 8-9 hours job that will require a peer to peer work. While working in the field, you are expected to work beyond official hours as sometimes you will be travelling intensively in the middle of jungles, underneath the sea, a remote desert, Rocky Mountains, etc. where keeping work schedule is not possible. These areas will provide an intense work environment in terms of climate, facilities and external threats.

Specialisation Tracks In This Career

Plant Biotechnologist

Plant Biotechnologists specialise in using scientific tools and techniques like genetic engineering, molecular markers, molecular diagnostics, vaccines, and tissue culture, in modifying living organisms: plants, animals, and microorganisms.

Plant Ecologist

Plant Ecologists specialise in understanding the distribution of plants. They study the soil, environment, and works of the increasing plantation of plants in the right environment. They use research to find a new environment where a plant can be grown. They also survey ecosystems and assess the diversity, profusion, and behaviour of the different organisms within them. 

Plant Genetics & Breeding Scientist

Plant Genetics & Breeding Scientists specialise in changing the traits of plants by changing its genes through breeding. Scientists do this to produce new breeds of plants that are economically viable, more productive in terms of agriculture and more resistive to insects’ attack or diseases.

Plant Physiologist

A Plant Physiologist is a scientist who specialises in studying functions of plants. They study Fundamental processes such as photosynthesis, respiration, plant nutrition, plant hormone functions, seed germination, etc.

Plant Anatomist

Plant Anatomist is a botanist specialise who studies the structure of the plant and their parts. As an anatomist, you will work in the field of developmental biology, embryology, comparative anatomy, evolutionary biology, and phylogeny. An anatomist further studies plants through two different studies called macroscopic and microscopic anatomy. Macroscopic anatomy is the examination of plants through unaided eyesight. Microscopic anatomy is the study of plants through optical instruments (microscope).

Plant Molecular Biologist

Molecular biologist (Plants) is a specialist who is concerned with the studies of the molecular level of biological activities between biomolecules in the cells of the plants. These interactions include RNA, DNA, proteins, and their biosynthesis.

Palaeobotanist

Palaeobotanist is a specialist who recovers and identifies plant remains from the geological materials (fossils, soil, rocks, etc.). They use these fossils and remains to reconstruct the past environment of the plant and understand the evolutionary history of the plant.

​​​​​​​Taxonomist

Taxonomist is a specialist botanist who defines and names a different group of plants on the bases of shared characteristics. All plants are organised together into taxa (meaning arrangement). And these groups are then given ranks. Groups of similar ranks are then again combined to form larger supergroups. In modern biology, the group in the hierarchy are a domain, kingdom (plant), phylum, class, order, family, genus and finally species.

Career Growth

1. Research laboratories will hire you as a scientist/scientist officer with the lowest grade and the grade changes from low to high. In India, grades are “Scientist “C” as the joining level and then D, E, F, G, H, etc. A senior-level scientist can also get into administrative positions like Principal Scientist, Assistant Director, Deputy Director, Director, etc.

2. The career growth in university and college states from Assistant Professor and then Associate Professor, Professor and Professor Emeritus. Professors can also get administrative positions such as Director/Dean/Vice Chancellor, etc.

3. If you are hired as a research associate (JRF and SRF), then you will go on to become a Doctoral Research Fellow, then Post-Doctoral Research Fellow and then Scientist in Progressive Grades. 

4. If you join a private organisation in the field of agriculture, fertilizers, etc. as a research scientist, then you will move to senior research scientist and principal scientist with work experience.

Salary Offered  

1. At the entry level, you can join as a research associate with a basic salary of Rs. 25,000 to 30,000. As a doctoral research fellow (junior research fellow) you would be earning around Rs. 35,000 to 38,000 per month.

2. At the entry level, as a Scientist (grade C) you would be earning around Rs. 80,000 to 100,000 per month. As an assistant professor, you would be earning anything between Rs. 65,000 to 70,000 per month. As a scientist in private companies, you will earn anything between Rs. 25,000 to 1, 00,000 per month.

3. At the junior level with a work experience of 2-6 years, you would be earning anything between Rs. 70,000 to 1, 40,000 per month.

4. At the middle level with an experience of 10-12 years, you would be earning anything between Rs. 1, 40,000 to 1,90,000 per month as a scientist and Rs. 1,20,000 INR to 1,60,000 as a professor.

5. At the senior level of over 15 years of work experience, you would be earning anything between Rs. 1,60,000 to 2,00,000 per month as a professor and Rs. 2,10,000 to 2,50,000 per month as a Scientist.

Monthly Earnings In India Rupee

1. Entry level: 0 - 2 years of work experience 

2. Junior Level: From 1 to 12 years of work experience 

3. Mid Level: From 5 to 20+ years of work experience 

4. Senior Level: From 10 to 25+ years of work experience (there could be exceptions in some high-end technical, financial, engineering, creative, management, sports, and other careers; also in the near future, people will reach these levels much faster in many careers and in some careers, these levels will have no meaning as those careers will be completely tech skill driven such as even now, there is almost no level in a Cyber Security Expert’s job)

Famous Personalities 

Information not available.

Work Activities 

1. Analysing and interpreting data and information: Analysis of data and information to find facts, trends, reasons behind situations, etc.; interpretation of data to aid in decision making.

2. Communicating with co-workers and others: Communicating with people in writing, verbally or otherwise inside your workplace and various other people who have professional relationships with your place of work including vendors, government officials, etc. or with people at large.

3. Decision making and problem-solving: Analysis of data and information; evaluation of alternative decisions and results of decisions; taking the right decisions and solving problems.

4. Getting Information and learning: Observing, hearing, reading, using computers, or otherwise obtaining information and learning from it.

5. Identifying objects, actions, and events: Identifying various characteristics of objects; observing and understanding actions and events; understanding changes in actions and events.

6. Providing advice and consultation to others: Giving advice or consultation to others about various issues, conceptual matters, know-how, scientific matters, products or services.

7. Training and teaching: Understanding educational and training needs of others, developing training programs and educational programs, conducting training programs, teaching and instructing others.

8. Updating and using relevant knowledge: Keeping updated with the latest knowledge relevant to your fields of work and use of the relevant knowledge in getting things done.

9. Using computers for work: Using computers for day-to-day office work; using computer software for various applications in day-to-day professional work; entering data and process information; for writing.

10. Working in a team: Working in a team of people; developing a team; maintaining professional relationships among team members.