The biotechnology department of Utkal University. Picture by Sanjib Mukherjee

Bhubaneswar, March 4: Students opting for biotechnology course at postgraduate level will get scholarships from the state government.

The higher education department has announced 32 scholarships for meritorious students pursing the subject in the state. The scholarships will be offered from the 2013-14 academic session.

According to the decision, the students would be given Rs 2,000 per month for two years during their postgraduate studies. The government has made a provision of Rs 8 lakh for the purpose.

“The move is intended to make students opt for biotechnology studies,” said an official.

At present, scholarships are being offered in subjects such as physics, mathematics, chemistry, botany, zoology and statistics. The scholarships have benefited about 200 students.

Though most of the state universities offer biotechnology, lack of proper job opportunities has led to a plunge in admission in the subject. Students, who already have a biotechnology degree, also find it hard to get employment in the state in absence of job options.

“There are no biotechnology industries in the state. To add to the problem, there is hardly any opening in the government sector. The Odisha Public Service Commission has hardly come out with advertisement for recruitment of faculties in biotechnology,” said Sulagna Mishra, a biotechnology student.

Students complained that the course was suffering from shortage of faculties. “There has been no recruitment in varsities either. In most universities, the biology faculties in colleges double up as biotechnology faculties. The situation is similar in the universities,” said Bharti, another student.

However, government officials hope that the situation would improve with the setting up of the Biotechnology Park at Andharua in Bhubaneswar.

The park is expected to open shortly and this would trigger more such institutes. Therefore, there will be plenty of job opportunities in the sector, said another official.

Prashant Sahoo, a bio-technology faculty in a private university here, said: “Biotechnology is for the students who enjoy science, math, technology, investigating and solving problems, and making useful products. Besides being a scientist in biotechnology has a wide variety of career opportunities ranging from sales and marketing, to research and development, to manufacturing and quality control and assurance.”