CAREER IN AGRICULTURE

Animal Science in the specialty area it you are interested in careers on the science side of agriculture. Animal scientists conduct research designed to improve the production and processing of meats, fish and dairy products. They use biotechnology to study the genetics, nutrition, reproduction, growth, and development of domesticated farm animals. Some animal scientists inspect and grade livestock food products, purchase livestock, or work in technical sales or marketing. As extension agents or consultants, animal scientists advise agricultural producers on how to upgrade animal housing facilities properly, lower mortality rates among their animals, handle waste matter properly, or increase the production of animal products, such as milk or eggs.

Agribusiness is a big, business. People with a business background are needed and employed as: marketing and merchandising specialists; sales representatives; agricultural economists; accountants; finance managers, and; commodity traders, just to name a few. And that’s still not all. Other career possibilities exist in the areas of communications & education, social services, and agricultural production. And, even though food production often takes center stage, don’t forget, as we mentioned earlier, that textiles and fibers also makeup a large portion of the agricultural industry.

Job Opportunities in Agriculture

Placements and Prospects

India is among the largest producers of vegetables and fruits in the world and has an equally strong floriculture base. Today India’s agriculture has become globalised and the idea of integrating Indian agriculture with the world economy is getting support. India has enormous potential as an exporter of agricultural commodities ranging from mushrooms to flowers, spices, cereals, oilseeds and vegetables. The spurt in government support for export of agri-products has evoked considerable interest among the large business houses which have worked out agreements for technology transfer, marketing tie-ups, and management and trading contacts with leading foreign counterparts. Horticulture with its offshoot floriculture has become a focus of export activity. India’s exports of roses, carnations, gladioli, chrysanthemums, jasmine and other tropical plants and flowers are touching new heights.

In the field of fruits and vegetables too, India has tremendous export potential. With the commercialisation of agriculture and horticulture there are varied opportunities for salaried jobs as well as entrepreneurship. While salaried jobs with various government and private concerns provide a regular income, entrepreneurship can generate handsome profits.

Landscapers and horticulturists are hired by hotels, health farms, and holiday resorts to beautify their surroundings. Florists and nurseries are doing lucrative business especially in the metropolitan cities. Suburban farmhouses have become important suppliers for the domestic market.

Agricultural University

Different agricultural universities recruit agricultural postgraduates for different post from concerned field of specialisation. Following are some of the positions which are generally advertised by agricultural universities- Plant Pathologist, Plant Pathologist , Breeder , Agro-meteorologist, Economic Botanist., Research Engineer, Agronomist, Scientist, Associate Professor.

Other posts are Assistant Scientists, Assistant Professors , District Extension Specialists, Assistant Plant Pathologist , Assistant Bacteriologist, Assistant Botanist, Assistant Soil Chemist, Junior Pedologist, Assistant Economic Botanist, Assistant Fruit Breeder, Assistant Seed Research Officer, Assistant Seed Research Officer, Junior Entomologist, Assistant Breeder, Junior Breeder , Junior Agronomist, Assistant Vegetable Botanist , Seed Production Assistant, Assistant Research Scientist, Assistant Plant Physiologist.

Qualification for all above posts is Doctor Degree/ master degree in concerned disciple. However for some posts experience in concerned field is required and for Assistant professor and other teaching post, candidate should be NET qualified (conducted by UGC/ CSIR/ICAR/Other). For senior level post Ph.D in concerned field is compulsory requirement

Indian Council of Agricultural Research

One can choose career under ICAR in the areas of research; one can become an Agricultural Research Scientists (ARS). The recruitment to these posts is made through ARS/ NET examination is conducted for Scientist post and lectureship. Presently first time ASRB has change the ARS/NET exam criteria. Now ASRB will conduct ARS/NET (Preliminary and Main) examination. Only those candidates who qualify the preliminary examination will be called for Main examination. Candidate for ARS interview will be selected on the basis of performance in main examination..

Also ICAR has better option for agricultural graduates, postgraduates and for doctorate degree holders. Bachelor degree holder can apply for some technical post in concerned discipline. Also some technical post of level of T-5 (Technical Officer) is better option for postgraduate and above the Technical(T-5) post like T-6 etc and subject matter specialist in Krishi Vigyan Kendras are better opportunities for Ph.D degree holders.

State Agricultural DepartmentS

One can become an Agriculture Development Officers (ADO). The post is equivalent to that of the Block Development Officers (BDO). Recruitment to these posts is made on the basis of an examination conducted by public service commission/concerned department.

You can also apply for the post of a Research Scientist in organisations in the private sector. There, your services may also be utilised in the laboratories in private labs. The desired qualification required for this purpose is of doctoral level i.e. a Ph.D.

Banking Sector

After doing your B.Sc. you are eligible to apply for jobs offered by banks, finance sector seed companies, breeding farms, poultry farms and insurance companies etc. Reserve Bank of India, State Bank of India and the nationalised banks offer openings for postgraduates in agriculture and allied areas as Field Officers, Rural Development Officers and Agricultural and Probationary Officers.

Seed Companies

Another job opportunity is to join seed companies as Seed Officer, Scientist (Breeding, plant protection etc.), and technical and other field jobs. Besides these, job opportunities also exist in the areas of farm management, land appraisal, grading, packaging and labelling. Both in the public and private sectors jobs are also offered in the field of marketing and sales, transportation, farm utilities, storage and warehousing etc.

ICRISAT

Another opportunity is to join embassies as Agricultural Specialist and other post. Also ICRISAT is an organisation for research related job of agriculture field.

Career Opportunities in Agro - Industry Sector:

Agro - industry provides jobs to scientists, engineers, technologists, sales and marketing people, besides the production people. These areas of work relate to production, food processing, grain and seed processing, meat and poultry packing, dairy processing, fats and oils, textiles, fibres, machinery and equipment, fertiliser and lime, pesticides, herbicide, feed manufacturing, constructions, etc. for which people with adequate knowledge, in the respective fields are required.

Agricultural Engineering:

Agricultural branch of engineering provides better job prospects as compared to other branches. The job is related to activities aimed at improving agriculture, reconstructing rural areas in general and agricultural machinery, power, farm structures, soil and water conservation, rural electrification, etc.

AgriculturAL Management:

Job opportunities also exist in this relatively new areas. Agriculture related Job opportunities7 are also available in estates and tea gardens.

Services Sector:

In order to regulate the functions of adequate and timely supply of seeds, chemicals, fertilizers, etc. at genuine price, as also to regulate quality of the food products supplied for consumption by people, there is requirement for people to inspect, grade, quality control chemicals, plants and animal quarantine, agricultural technicians, agricultural consultants, agricultural statisticians, veterinarians, foreign agricultural service, inspection and regulation, food and feed, seed and fertiliser.

There are several Government agencies at centre, state and district levels, which appoint of agricultural employees. In addition, at the international level the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nation and some other agencies related to the development of agriculture also appoints consultants.

Corporations:

Various corporations providing job opportunities to agriculturists include National Seed Corporation, State Farm Corporation, Warehousing Corporation and Food Corporation.

AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITIES

1. Acharya N G Ranga Agricultural University (ANGRAU), Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh
2. Agricultural University Udaipur
3. Anand Agricultural University, Anand, Gujarat.
4. Assam Agricultural University (AAU) , Jorhat, Assam 785013
5. Bidhan Chandra Krishi Vishva Vidyalaya (BCKVV), West Bengal
6. Birsa Agricultural University (BAU), Ranchi, Jharkhand.
7. Central Agricultural University (CAU),Imphal, Manipur
8. Central Institute on Fisheries Education, Mumbai
9. Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya (PKV) , Akola, Maharashtra
10. Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture & Forestry (YSPUH&E), Himachal Pradesh
11. Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology (GBPAU&T), Pantnagar, Uttar Pradesh
12. Gujarat Agricultural University, Sardar Krushinagar Dantiwada (Banaskantha)
13. Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi
14. Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar
15. Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya (IGKVV), Krishak Nagar, Raipur
16. Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya(JNKVV), Jabalpur Madhya Pradesh
17. Junagadh Agricultural University (JAU), Junagadh, Gujarat
18. Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth (KKV), Dopali, Maharashtra
19. Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) Kerala
20. Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture & Technology (MPUAT), Udaipur, Rajasthan
21. Maharashtra Animal Sciences & Fisheries Sciences University (MASFSU), Nagpur, Maharashtra
22. Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth (MPKV), Maharashtra
23. Marathwada Agricultural University (MAU) Parbhani, Maharashtra
24. Narendra Deva University of Agriculture & Technology, Narendra Nagar Faizabad
25. Navsaro Agricultural University (NAU), Navsari, Gujarat
26. National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal
27. Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology, Bhubaneswar
28. Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana
29. Rajasthan Agricultural University, Bikaner
30. Rajendra Agricultural University (RAU) Pusa, Samastipur, Bihar
31. Sardar Vallabah Bhai Patel University of Agriculture & Technology (SVBPUAT), Meerut.
32. Sardar Krishi Nagar-Dantiwada Agricultural University (SADAU), Gujarat
33. Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Fishery Sciences & Technology (SKUAS&T), Jammu
34. Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Srinagar (J&K)
35. Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu
36. Tamil Nadu Veterinary & Animal Sciences University (TNV&ASU), Chennai
37. University of Agricultural Sciences, G.K.V.K. Bangalore
38. University of Agricultural Sciences, Krishi Nagar, Dharwad, Karnataka
39. UP Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay Pashu Chikitasa Vigyan Vishwavidyalaya, Mathura, UP.
40. Uttar Banga Krishi Vishwavidyalaya (UBKV), West Bangal
41. West Bengal University of Animal & Fishery Sciences (WBUA&FS), Kolkata

(The list is indicative only)

Mamta Singh, Yatender Singh and D.S. Srivastava

CAREER IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE TRAINING

In the last few years, thanks to jobs becoming global, the importance of English has increased manifold. It has over the years become an important medium of communication, both at the international and intra-national levels. The importance of spoken English is even more, because there are many cases where one knows his subject well, but fails to communicate it properly. The practice of spoken English, therefore, is quite essential. Learning English in a country where it is not a native language, opens a number of opportunities for the individual. In today’s corporate world, the need for effective communication has been recognized and accepted more than the technical knowledge. The language of the corporate world is English. An individual can make strides in the management ladder if he/she can speak English fluently. If your English is poor, even though with brilliant business ideas, you may still find yourself languishing at the bottom of the management ladder. Your productivity will drop over a period of time since you will find difficulty in expressing your brilliant ideas. Those who can speak good English will probably usurp your ideas and get the credit for all the hard work you did to get the idea working. So there are immense opportunities for English Language trainer to train people in communicative English for different purposes like group discussions, interviews, oral presentations, report writing, writing letters etc. English language trainers generally handle individuals’ abilities to frame grammatically correct sentences or his lack of vocabulary, fear of speaking to groups of people, and ineffective presentation skills. Here are a few skills that an English language trainer tends to teach.

Effective Communication Skills

Effective communication skills include oral Skills for public speaking, presentations, negotiating, conflict resolutions, knowledge-sharing; Writing Skills for preparing reports, proposals, instruction manuals, writing memos, notices, official correspondence etc. It also includes a combination of verbal and non-verbal skills marked with proper and distinct articulation, appropriate pause, and voice modulation. If the medium of communication is English, certain amount of proficiency is needed in it. As English for us is a second language and not our mother tongue, a constant practice at home, followed by language-lab sessions, is the need of the hour. Those institutes which want their students to get placed in MNCs and reputed companies, must give this an urgent thought. It is here that an English Language Trainer has a role to play. Quality job depends as much on knowledge of the respective subject as on good communication skills.

Group Discussion Skills

Group discussion is one of the ways to test someone’s communicative skills generally before the final interview for a job. An English language trainer trains the candidates for group discussions.

A Trainer, while training the candidates for group discussion must keep in mind the following things in order of their importance:

1. Thorough knowledge about the topic
2. Language competence or communication skill
3. Confidence
4. Initiative
5. Leadership quality
6. Group behavior or team spirit

Interview Skills

Interview is the test of one’s total personality, which like iceberg, is largely below the surface. While training the candidates, the trainer aims at grooming the whole personality which comprises of confidence, attitude, aptitude, behavior pattern, team spirit, clarity of thought and expression, ability to take quick and correct decision, originality of ideas and approach, innovative mind and cheerful disposition. He usually organizes a number of mock interviews to make the candidates confident and to assess them as where they are lacking in order to fill the

Oral Presentation Skills

Fear of speaking in front of groups is one of the greatest fears people have. Here, the role of a trainer is very crucial who trains the candidates in practices confidence, calmness, and how to concentrate on his/her message. The trainer begins with a strategy that includes understanding your purpose and role, tailoring your message to the audience, clarifying your objectives, developing a logically compelling case for your plan, and reaching a common goal. Then he makes the candidate learn how to structure his material into a meaningful message. Finally, the style of presentation is prepared which focuses upon your posture, attitude, tone, enthusiasm,
loudness, and your approach.

Technical Writing

Since the success rate of an individual in an organization commensurate with his communicative abilities, writing deserves the first and foremost attention. The style that will make your writing more effective has to conform to the principles of clarity, consistency and plainness. Since people’s background and experiences are different, they may present their experiences/ viewpoints differently but one should always try to maintain objectivity, detachment and neutrality in one’s writing. The following things which are important are intended by the trainer

• Visualize what you wish to say
• Organize the data and their analysis
• Be fluent while writing the first draft
• Revise the draft carefully.
• Delete the word, phrase, sentence or paragraph that is superfluous.
• Maintain objectivity
• Avoid struggling on a point unnecessarily

Career Prospects

• English Language Trainer

The growth and development of an employee in any organization is directly proportionate with his communication skills. Research tells that whatever one learns in the class room only ten to fifteen percent of his technical knowledge is used in actual organizational context and rest is his communication skills. As one grows further in the hierarchy, the importance of communication is increased. As a recruiter, companies often face the problem of assessing a candidate’s command over English language. Even the existing work force does lack communication skills. Most of the organizations are aware of this and they train their employees in Communication skills in order to increase the productivity of the organization and better representation of the organization at national and international levels. After receiving a degree in English Language, one can get a job in any of the organizations and earn handsome amount.

• Teacher

Teaching is a good option for an English Language trainer as Technical Communication is a compulsory subject in all Engineering and Management Institutes. There the students are trained and prepared in communication skills to perform better in interview and group discussion for their placements. Since the growth of an institute is totally dependent on the job placement of its students, the role of an English Language trainer becomes very crucial. A person with first class degree in English Language can get a job in any of these institutes based on his/her performance in the interview.

• Editor

Editing can be a good option for an English Language graduate. Here the fresh graduates need a specific training in written language, word usage, and sentence structure in order to have expertise in editing works. An English language trainer may train them in these respective areas. After the specific training, the candidate may get a job in any of the publishing houses. There is dire need of such expert editors in business world too to edit the official documents.

Education

Though there are number of universities and colleges offering degrees in English Language, here are a few reputed universities that offer degrees in English language:

• English and Foreign language University (EFLU), Hyderabad
• Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi
• Delhi University, New Delhi
• Jamia Millia Islamia University, New Delhi
• Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi
• Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh
• Gujarat University, Ahmedabad
• Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar

Placement

After completing Master’s degree in English Language, one can get a job in any public and private organization, educational institute, or can set his own training center. Initially, the trainer can earn somewhere between Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 20,000 per month which increases over the years.

— Anurag Kumar and Monika Singh

(Anurag Kumar is a research scholar in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Monika Singh is a Lecturer in The Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Ram Swaroop Memorial College of Engineering, Lucknow)

CAREER IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

In the contemporary world, every government is facing certain challenges like globalization, economic competition that cuts across national borders, social and political upheavals, technological changes, threats of terrorism, and a rapidly-changing labour market. These challenges could only be met by capacity building through people and institutions. It is only people who are at the heart of performance; they provide services, promote innovations, and carry out reforms through the best use of their knowledge and skills. Thus, the job of a public administrator in any nation has become very crucial and his role indispensable. In order to have good governance, there is a huge requirement of specialized and skilled public administrator.

Public administration is a system through which the government carries out its business of ruling and controlling effectively. This system has been created in order to maintain a civil society and to cater to the needs of the public. Any unelected public employee who deals directly with the general public can be said to be a public administrator. They perform a wide range of functions, including managing city budgets, developing policy and legislation, implementing policies, analyzing data to determine and solve public needs, ensuring security, etc. Its functions come under the spheres of public well being. Maintaining public administration is the first and foremost responsibility of any government. The roots of public administration go back to the times of Plato and Aristotle who highlighted the importance of the government in public life. In this regard Kautilya’s (Chankya) contribution through his book Arthshastra (Economics) is noteworthy.

Of late, public administration has been introduced in Academia. The aim of educating people in public administration is to train them in democratic values such as equality, justice, security, effectiveness, and order. It also prepares such human resources who can critically analyze and review public policies of the government. These public administrators are enabled to bear the responsibility of determining the policies and programmes of the government like planning, organizing, directing, coordinating, and controlling of government operations. Because of the specific training in public administration, execution, and direction, it has become a distinct profession with immense opportunities. There are five main heads of Public administration:

Human Resource Management

The function of human resource management is to equip the employees with the capabilities to manage records, promotion and advancement, benefits, compensation, and to impart certain trainings in life skills in order to develop in them resilience to cope with the organizational and personal strain. Human resource management trains people to become professionals, administrative, and technical staffs.

Organization and Public Administration

The study of the structure of the governmental organization is performed through this branch. It helps the trainee to understand the complex system of the organization and how to perform there. It also helps them to understand how the power is divided among the employees. There are a number of organizational theories of public administration which cover up the major transformation in the areas ranging from classic model to humanistic model of management.

Ethics in Public Administration

Knowledge of ethics provides public administrators, an understanding of ethical principles and a practical framework for applying them. It also gives the administrators an idea of ethical theories and concepts from which ethical principles are derived. Ethics is basically concerned with the moral justification and consideration for decisions and actions made during the completion of daily duties when working to provide the general services of government.

Public Policy and Public Administration

This enables the administrators with the knowledge of the governmental rules and programmes. This includes laws, local ordinances, court decisions, executive orders, and decisions of administrators. They also become familiar with the roles of different pressure groups while making decisions. These pressure groups include various political parties, interest groups, social movements, mass media, and international agencies.

Finance and Public Administration

Financial management is one of the major concerns of any organization and the effective functioning of that depends upon the skilled financial administrators. Through the study of finance and public administration, one is informed about the objectives, principles and important issues of financial relations and administrations. It also makes them understand various issues of financial administration of urban and rural government.

Career Prospects

The modern competitive world has given rise to a huge a requirement of specialized, educated, Public Administrators because of the ongoing pressure of globalization, information technology, and terrorism. Public administration requires high level of diplomatic skills and thorough knowledge of public issues. There are a number of jobs and career prospects for a trained and motivated Public Administrator.

Administrative Officer

Public Administrators may choose careers in the government sector. This job requires the exercise of analytical ability, judgment, discretion, and personal responsibility, and the application of a substantial body of knowledge of principles, concepts, and practices applicable to one or more fields of administration or management. These positions do not require specialized education, but do require skills usually gained while attaining a college level public administration education. Though, to a great extent, public Administration is an inborn quality, it is further groomed through any of the courses in public administration but requires a sound practice of whatever you have learnt.

Corporate Manager

The job of a management official requires strong leadership skill; creativity and logic, problem solving skills, diplomacy and change readiness, and team skills. As a public administrator graduate is trained in these skills, he may seek positions in organizational management or programme management in the public or private sector. Management professionals may be employed by government agencies, small businesses, health care facilities or educational institutions.

Consultant

The task of a consultant ranges from budgeting and financial analysis, conducting research related to public relations or marketing, shaping organizational policy, program development and implementation, problem-solving and critical thinking and the oversight of managerial or leadership programs. They also organize certain training courses for improving quality of the employees. They may be employed in public or private sectors and their mission is to lead these organizations to the optimum benefit.

Teacher

Teaching has recently been a good option for a public administrator as public Administration is one of the most sought courses in every Management Institute. Teachers play a role in helping students develop and learn the nature and approach of public administration. Teaching is no more a monotonous job, rather includes many off the track responsibilities, for example, training and placement, wardenship, and discipline. Since the growth of an institute is totally dependent on the job placement of its students, the role of a public administrator as a trainer becomes very crucial.

Education

A degree programme in Public Administration will prepare you to a work in many governmental and other management careers, including health care administration, human resources management and even city management. Though there are a number of universities and institutions offering graduate, post graduate, and Ph. D. degrees in Public Administrations, I list a few of them here:

• University of Delhi, Delhi
• Jawaharlal Nehru University Delhi
• Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA), Delhi
• University of Lucknow
• South Gujarat University Surat
  Placement
  With a degree in Public Administration, you will be prepared for a variety of careers in public and private organizations, educational institutes and government organizations.
• -
  Dr. Abhishek Kumar Srivastava

(email : - aks.dpa@gmail.com)

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES IN SIDDHA MEDICINE

The term ‘Siddha’ means achievement. Group of Saints known as Siddhars have developed the Siddha medical system during different periods of time. The word ‘Siddhar’ is derived from ‘Siddhi’, which means ‘Eternal Bliss’. Siddhars have achieved supreme knowledge in herbal medicine and enlightened spiritually as well. In short, Siddha Medicine means ‘Medicine that is eternally perfect’.

Origin and Development

Siddha system of medicine is about 10,000 years old. Siddha system is the oldest medical system in India. Several Siddhars have contributed towards the development of this medical system, among them there are 18 prominent Siddhars. Of these 18 Siddhars, Agasthiyar is considered as the foremost and his work is considered as outstanding in Siddha Medicine. Agasthiyar occupies the same position as that of Hippocrates, the Greek physician who is considered as father of medicine. The Palani hill in Tamil Nadu is rich in medicinal plants and it was the abode of Siddhars. The literature of Siddha medicine is available in Classical Tamil and it is mainly practiced in Southern part of India.

Basic Concept and Principles

The basic concept of the Siddhars, ‘food is medicine and medicine is food’ very appropriately captures the holistic approach adopted by Indian systems of Medicine. According to Siddha medicine, there are seven elements viz. saram (plasma), cheneer (blood), ooun (muscle), kozhuppu (fat), elumbu (bone), moolai (nerve) and inthiriyam (semen) that are responsible for physical, physiological and psychological functions of the human body. These seven elements are activated by three components or humors viz. vatha (air), pitha (fire or heat or energy) and kapha (water).

It is believed that these three components or humors are normally available in a particular ratio in our body. When the equilibrium of these three humors is disturbed in our body, various disorders or diseases are caused. The major factors that affect or disturb the equilibrium state of these three humors (tridhoshas) in our body are diet, physical activities, environmental factors and stress.

Use of metals and minerals is predominant in Siddha medicine when compared to other Indian systems of medicine (ISM). Pulse reading, examining the body by touch, voice, color, eyes, tongue, urine and stool are the major basic diagnoses in identifying the diseases and disorders. Siddha medicine also practices Varma (vital points). Siddha medicine instructs the patients ‘to do certain things’ and ‘not to do certain things’, during the medication. The treatment of Siddha medicine is aimed at keeping the three humors at equilibrium state in the body thereby keeping the seven elements in normal condition to have a healthy body and mind.

Formal Medical Education

To become a Siddha medical practitioner, a formal medical education is mandatory. There are many Siddha medical colleges which offer undergraduate degree viz. Bachelor of Siddha Medicine and Surgery (B.S.M.S.), a 5½ years course including a 6 months or 1-year internship period. After completion of this course, one can opt for a Postgraduate degree in Siddha Medicine, i.e. M.D. (Siddha), a 3 years course.

To secure admission into B.S.M.S. course, minimum eligibility is Higher Secondary Course (10 + 2) with the subjects in Physics, Chemistry, Biology or Botany and Zoology. Generally, admission/selection for this course is made based on a Common Entrance Examination.

A list of government and private Medical colleges, Universities and Institutions, which offer undergraduate and/or postgraduate courses in Siddha medicine are given below.

1. Government Siddha Medical College, Arumpakkam, Chennai - 600106 (offers both BSMS & MD Siddha).
2. Government Siddha Medical College, Palayamkottai - 627002, Tamil Nadu (BSMS & MD Siddha).
3. National Institute of Siddha, Tambaram Sanatorium, Chennai - 600047 (MD Siddha)
4. The Tamilnadu Dr. M.G.R. Medical University, 69, Anna Salai, Guindy, Chennai - 600032 (MD Siddha).
5. Government Siddha Medical College, Palani - 624601, Dindigul district, Tamil Nadu (BSMS).
6. Sri Sai Ram Siddha Medical College, Sai Leo Nagar, Poonthandalam, West Tambaram, Chennai – 600044 (BSMS).
7. R.V.S. Siddha Medical College & Hospital, Kumaran Kottam, Kannampalayam, Coimbatore – 641402, Tamil Nadu (BSMS).
8. A.T.S.V.S Siddha Medical College, Munchirai, Pudukkadai - Post, Kanyakumari – District, Tamil Nadu. PIN: 629171 (BSMS).
9. Velu Mailu Siddha Medical College, No. 48, Grand west trunk road, Sriperumbudur – 602105, Kancheepuram – District, Tamil Nadu (BSMS).
10. Sivaraj Siddha Medical College, Siddhar Kovil Road, Thumbathulipatty, Salem - 636307, Tamil Nadu (BSMS)
11. Santhigiri Siddha Medical College, Santhigiri - P.O., Pothencode, Tiruvanantha-puram – 695584, Kerala (BSMS).

(The list is indicative only)

Siddha medical system is unique in many ways, which can cure many dreadful diseases. It has to be popularized among the common public for best possible utilization. To relieve the humanity from the painful illness, more and more Siddha doctors are required. To achieve the goal, more and more Siddha medical colleges/Universities, research institutions are inevitable for the day. Therefore, it is suggested that more educational and research institutions to be opened in major cities of India or at least in the Metro cities of India to impart Siddha medicine, which will contribute to a disease free society to a large extent.

Job Opportunities

Siddha medicine is gaining popularity both within the country and abroad because of its wider acceptance as an alternative system of medicine and due to the least side effects as compared to modern medicine. One can choose a career in the field of teaching or research. A wide range of employment opportunities are available for those who opt for a career in Siddha medicine. Depending upon one’s qualification and experience, one can find job in various Government and Private Hospitals, Clinics, Nursing homes, Health Departments, Medical colleges, Drug Research institutes, Pharmaceutical industries etc., which are located in different parts of the country. One can also practice privately as Siddha physician by opening a Siddha clinic.

Dr. A.B.D. SELVAM

(The Author is a Scientist in Pharmacognosy Section, Botanical Survey of India, Howrah – 711103. E mail : abd_selvam@yahoo.co.in)