Need honest advice on biology careers in India (not MBBS)

[Prem]

Hi, I'm a student who prepared for NEET but it didn't go as planned. I'll likely be taking CUET and considering BSc courses in biology.

I've seen a lot of mixed opinions online. Some people say there is no scope in biology even after MSc/PhD. That makes me really anxious about choosing this path. I know it's uncertain but isn't every non‑linear field uncertain?

I'm not very interested in coding‑heavy fields like bioinformatics, but I'm open to research, industry, or even government exams later.

I want an honest, realistic perspective from people who are actually in these fields:

1. What are the real job prospects after BSc + MSc?
2. What kind of roles do people actually get (salary range, growth, etc.)?
3. What mistakes should I avoid during college to not end up stuck?
4. Is this a reasonable path if I'm willing to work consistently, or is it too risky?
5. What kind of courses should I target rn? I'm particularly inclined towards research. I am also giving IAT but if I don't clear it CUET is my only option so I'm asking just in the context of CUET.

Please don't comment all the doom and gloom stuff. I really love biology and I do want a career in it.

My marks: 93% in 10th (ICSE), 75% in 12th (CBSE), 85 percentile in CUET last year.

[Sunita]

If you truly enjoy biology then a BSc and MSc is the right move. You say there isn't much scope outside a PhD, but think about the alternatives – a PhD is essentially a job, the pay may be lower but you learn a lot and a solid career can follow if you do good work during the doctorate. So if biology excites you, that's the path to follow.

If you compare it with engineering, the only difference is that the first job you land might pay more. Apart from that, options like MBA, civil services or switching fields remain open after a BSc/MSc.

[Shankar]

Except teaching, there's hardly any career for BSc, MSc. And if you're lucky you might become a college professor; if you're extremely lucky you could become a university professor.