How to Become a Scientist after 12th – Top Courses, Scope

Basic Eligibility to be a Scientist

 

 

1. Educational requirements after 12th for pursuing a career in Science: You must clear your 10+2 exam with the science stream from a recognized board. Your aggregate marks should meet the eligibility score for you to be able to pursue your undergraduate (UG) education in the college or university where you want to. 

After this, you must complete your undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) education in a relevant discipline from a recognized institute. In both these stages of the best courses to become a scientist after 12th, you must score at least 60% marks to be considered eligible for the next stage. The final stage of the process is to get a PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) in the subject of your interest—an essential milestone on the scientist career path after the 12th.

2. Importance of subjects like Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Mathematics: To begin with, if you want to become a Scientist, you must have studied Physics, Mathematics, and Chemistry in your Class 12. Biology is usually an optional subject in this particular context. These are the fundamental ingredients for what to study to become a scientist after 12th.

3. Additional criteria for specific courses and universities:  Apart from these, you also need to clear entrance exams such as the following, as desired by your preferred college or university—an important step in how to become a scientist after 12th and enter a career as a scientist in India:

1. NET (National Eligibility Test)
2. GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering)
3. JEE (Joint Entrance Examination) Mains and Advanced

Basic Skills Required to be a Scientist

 

 

Essential skills for aspiring scientists: If you want to know the ways how to become a scientist after 12th, you should know the foundational skills you need to shine in the domain. They may be enumerated as below:

1. analytical thinking
2. self-motivation
3. research aptitude
4. teamwork
5. problem-solving skills
6. time management
7. creativity
8. communication skills
9. managerial skills

Teamwork and effective communication are essential skills for scientists these days, especially in the context of research-oriented work. When you can communicate concisely, you can make sure that your colleagues understand you properly—vital for success in a career as a scientist in India.

Steps to Become a Scientist

STEP 1. Complete 12th Grade with Science Stream

STEP 2. Pursue a Bachelor's Degree (B.Sc.)

STEP 3. Clear Entrance Exams – JEE (Joint Entrance Examination) or IISER Aptitude Test.

STEP 4. Pursue a Master’s Degree (M.Sc./M.Tech.)

STEP 5. Qualify National Level Exams - CSIR-NET, GATE, or JRF

STEP 6. Pursuing a Phd.

STEP 7. Gain Postdoctoral Experience

STEP 8. Secure a Research Position - as a research scientist, faculty member, or project leader.

STEP 9. Continuous Learning and Development - attending workshops, conferences, and further training programs.

STEP 10. Contribute to the Scientific Community through innovation, research, and publication.

Entrance Exam for Science Courses

Following are the most popular entrance examinations for courses that can help you make a career after 12th science, and the various details related to the same. Clearing them is essential for crafting your scientific career path after the 12th and deciding what to study to become a scientist:

Name of Exam	Conducting Body	Eligibility Criteria	Exam Pattern	Important Dates*
NET	National Testing Agency (NTA)	You must not be older than 30 years if you are appearing for the Junior Research Fellowship (JRF). There is no age limit on the exam for the Assistant Professor spot.   You must have scored at least 55% in the Master’s degree exam of the relevant discipline.	There are two papers in the exam – Paper I and Paper II. In Paper I you have 50 questions and in Paper II you have 100 questions.	The exam is conducted twice a year – December and June.
GATE	GATE Committee	You must be at least in the final year of your UG program to take the test.    You must have completed or are in the final year of a program in any of the following streams and disciplines which must be approved by the Indian government:   Engineering Technology  Architecture Science Commerce Arts	The question papers in the test are in any one of three modes – MSQ (multiple select questions), MCQ (multiple-choice question), and NAT (numerical answer type)	The exam is conducted only once a year – during February.
JEE Mains	NTA	You must have passed your 10+2 at least two years before the year you take the exam. Students who are appearing in the Class 12 exam can also take part in JEE Mains in the same year.	This is a three-hour online exam with three sections – Mathematics, Chemistry, and Physics. It has 90 questions and 75 are compulsory. Section A has 20 MCQs and Section B has 10 numerical questions. The exam carries a full mark of  300.	JEE Mains is usually held in the first week of April.
JEE Advanced	The seven zonal coordinating IITs IIT (Indian Institutes of Technology) conduct the test. They may be enumerated as below:   IIT Kharagpur IIT Kanpur IIT Madras IIT Delhi IIT Bombay IIT Guwahati IIT Roorkee	You must be in the top 2.5 lakh successful candidates in the B.E. (Bachelor of Engineering) or B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) paper that you attempted in the JEE Mains.    If you are a general candidate you should not be older than 25 years.    You cannot attempt the exam more than twice in two consecutive years.    You must have appeared in your Class 12 exam not later than the previous year.   You must not have been admitted to an IIT.	This is an online examination conducted in Hindi and English. It has two papers – Paper 1 and Paper 2 – and both are mandatory. You get three hours for each exam and both these papers have three subjects – Physics, Mathematics, and Chemistry.	JEE Advanced is normally conducted in the third week of April.

*Please note that the dates of these exams keep changing. So, you should check with the official website of the examination and/or the conducting authority to find out the exact dates for the year when you will take the exam.

Top Courses in Science (Degree Level)

 

 

The following table provides comprehensive information on the best courses to become a scientist and supports what to study to become a scientist:

 

Course name	Duration	Specializations available	Eligibility criteria	Key features
Bachelor of Science (BSc)	3  years	Agriculture Biochemistry Computer Science Dietetics  Electronics	At the very least you must have completed your 10+2 and procured a diploma or an equivalent of the same. Depending on the college or university where you wish to get admitted you may also need to score a certain number of marks in the 12th-standard exam to be considered eligible for the course.	BSc courses usually focus on Natural Sciences, Mathematics, and Technical Subjects (STEM). They include core science courses along with specialization subjects and labs. They help you develop analytical, quantitative reasoning, problem-solving, and technical skills.
Integrated MSc (Master of Science) programs	5  years	Biology  Chemistry Environmental Science Material Sciences  Mathematics  Physics	Candidates must have completed their Class XII from a recognized board. They should have scored a minimum average of 60% marks in Physics, Mathematics, Chemistry, and English in Classes 11 and 12.	These courses offer you a solid grounding in all the aspects of the subject that you are specializing in. They also provide you with access to the latest and best research and opportunities to work in the industry.
B.Tech in Biotechnology	4  years	Medical Biotechnology Industrial Biotechnology  Environmental Biotechnology Marine Biotechnology	You must have completed your 10+2 from a recognized board with Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Biology along with English as a compulsory subject. You must be at least 17 years old at the time of enrolment and should have scored at least 75% in your Class 12 exam. If you have taken any entrance test such as JEE Mains you must submit its details.	These courses focus on the basic concepts of engineering that are used in Applied Biology and Chemical Engineering. It also focuses on areas such as environmental conservation, health, medicines, and technology.
Bachelor of Pharmacy (B.Pharm)	4 years	Pharmaceutical Analysis Pharmaceutics Pharmacology  Pharmacognosy  Hospital Pharmacy	You must have scored at least 45% in Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Biology if you are a general student. If you are an SC (Scheduled Caste), ST (Scheduled Tribe), PWD (Person with Disability), or OBC (Other Backward Caste) student this will come down to 40%. You must also have scored at least 30% in English no matter what category of student you are. Both these mark requirements are in the context of your Higher Secondary exam. You must be physically and mentally healthy too.	These courses offer you practical training that improves your employability and helps you develop a certain level of practical expertise. They also provide you with all-round education in the discipline.
MSc	2  years	Mathematical Methods (Physics) Introduction to Programming Language through C (IT or Information Technology) Structured and Object-Oriented Programming (Computer Science) Game Theory (Economics) Virology (Microbiology)	You must have a Bachelor’s Degree in the relevant discipline from a recognized university or college.  You also need to get at least between 50 and 60% to be considered eligible for the program.	MSc courses offer you a minimum of 50 specializations. They are also classed into three groups – MSc courses, MSc Tech courses, and Integrated MSc courses.
Master of Technology (M.Tech) in Engineering	3  years	Artificial Intelligence (AI) VLSI (Very Large Scale Integration) Design and Embedded System IT CAD (Computer-Aided Design)/CAM (Computer-Aided Manufacturing)  Computer Science Engineering	You must have completed your Bachelor’s from a recognized university or college.	These courses allow you to work in Research and Development (R&D). They also offer you a wide range of specializations which open up so many possibilities.

 

Importance of specialization and research focus in postgraduate studies: When you select the right specialization during your Master’s, it provides you with a valuable and unique set of knowledge and skills that advance not only your academics but also help you grow your career to a desired level. 

Research work done at this stage propels your passion for inquiry, enhancing your career as a scientist in India and reinforcing your scientist career path after 12th.

 

Also read:- Amity’s Placement Success Stories

Top Colleges Offering Science Courses

 

 

College name	Location	Courses offered	Admission criteria	Rankings (NIRF or National Institutional Ranking Framework)
Miranda House, University of Delhi	Delhi	BSc (Hons.) in Mathematics BSc (Hons.) in Zoology BSc in Physical Science (Computer Science) MSc in Zoology MSc in Mathematics	CUET and CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education) Class 12 results for UG courses and CUET-PG for PG courses.	1
Hindu College, University of Delhi	Delhi	BSc (Hons.) in Statistics  BSc (Hons.) in Mathematics BSc (Hons.) in Zoology MSc in Zoology MSc in Statistics	CUET (Central Universities Entrance Test) for UG courses and CUET-PG for PG courses.	2
Kirori Mal College, University of Delhi	Delhi	BSc in Analytical Chemistry BSc (Hons.) in Statistics BSc (Hons.) in Mathematics Master of Operational Research MSc in Chemistry	CUET for UG courses and CUET-PG for PG courses	9
Hansraj College, University of Delhi	Delhi	BSc (Hons.) in Computer Science BSc (Hons.) in Zoology BSc (Hons.) in Geology MSc in Geology MSc in Mathematics	CUET for UG courses and CUET-PG for PG courses	3 for BSc courses and 12 overall
MCC (Madras Christian College)	Chennai	BSc in Microbiology  BSc in Visual Communication BSc in Plant Biology and Plant Biotechnology MSc in Applied Microbiology MSc in Statistics	CBSE and Tamil Nadu state Class 12 exams results for UG courses.	16

Top Government and Non-Government Bodies that Hire Scientists

 

 

The following table represents the top recruiters (government and private organizations) of Scientists and the salaries that they offer to such professionals:

Name of Organization	Average annual salary range in Rs
Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO)	900,000 to 20,00,000
Bharat Biotech	800,000 to 18,00,000
Reliance Industries	800,000 to 16,00,000
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)	600,000 to 15,00,000
Infosys	600,000 to 12,00,000
Wipro	500,000 to 12,00,000

These are the roles central to any scientist career path after 12th in India, aligning with best courses to become a scientist and career as a scientist in India:

The following table shows the top job profiles available to Scientists in India and the salaries they can expect in those professions:

Profession	Average annual salary range in Rs
Pharmaceutical Scientist	10 lakhs
Research Scientist	9.2 lakhs
Astrophysicist	6.9 lakhs
Chemical Engineer	6.8 lakhs
Biomedical Scientist	5.1 lakhs
Material Scientist	4.2 lakhs
Data Scientist	3.8 lakhs to 15.9 lakhs
Environmental Scientist	3.3 lakhs

Several factors affect the salary of a Scientist in India. This includes role, experience level, organization, and specific skills—all shaped by the scientist career path after 12th and what to study to become a scientist on your educational journey.

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Wrapping Up

You must pursue a branch of science that you are passionate about—critical for how to become a scientist after 12th. This field must be one for which you are willing to invest effort and strategy. For a sustainable career as a scientist in India, select the best courses to become a scientist and follow the scientist career path after 12th with diligence. Explore Amity Online and other accredited platforms to access these pathways.

Your roadmap from what to study to become a scientist at Class 12 to advanced qualifications, is your blueprint for becoming a scientist. I'm ready to help refine your metadata or editorial guidelines if needed!

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