The Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India is responsible for organizing the DBT JRF exam. The exam is conducted to grant fellowships to applicants who want to pursue a Ph.D. in biotechnology.
DBT JRF officially known as the Department of Biotechnology Junior Research Fellowship is a prestigious exam for aspirants who desire to make their career in research in biotechnology and life sciences.
The NTA conducts a Biotechnology Eligibility Test (BET) or Graduate Aptitude Test – Biotechnology (GAT-B) is a national-level eligibility test for applicants who fill out the application form for DBT JRF. Through this article, candidates can check the complete details on DBT JRF 2024 eligibility criteria, selection process, important dates etc.
Table of Contents
DBT JRF Important Dates
| Events | Dates |
| Start of registration | March 2024 |
| End date to apply online | March 2024 |
| Last date for application fee submission | March 2024 |
| Availability of admit card | May 2024 |
| Date of Exam | May 2024 |
| Announcement of Result | June 2024 |
DBT JRF Application Form
The authority will release the DBT BET 2024 online application form on the official website of NTA dbt.nta.ac.in after the announcement of the notification.
To apply for DBT JRF, candidates have to first complete the online registration process by providing the important information. Once the registration is done, the candidate will receive an email with the User ID/ registration number and password.
By using these login credentials, candidates can access the online application form. Candidates should provide their personal and qualification details in the form carefully and correctly. they also have to upload the required documents in the given fields.
Verify the details before the final submission. Candidates should take the printout of the DBT JRF application form for future use.
Application Fee
DBT JRF application fee for Junior research fellows in the department of Biotechnology for different categories is mentioned below.
| Category | Application fee |
| Candidates from general /other categories | Rs 1200/- |
| For SC/ST/PwD | Rs 600/- |
DBT JRF Eligibility Criteria
The candidate must be an Indian national.
Educational Qualification
Applicants who have cleared BE/B.Tech in biotechnology with a minimum of 60% marks (55% for SC/ST/PH) are eligible to apply.
Candidates holding M.Sc/ M.Tech. M.V.Sc. Degree in Biotechnology/ specialization such as Agriculture, Veterinary/ Animal, Pharmaceutical, Medical, Food, Marine, Environmental, Industrial, Bioscience and Biotechnology, Biochemistry Engineering, Bio-resources Biotechnology, and Bioinformatics are also eligible to apply.
Candidates who have done M.Sc in Neuroscience and Molecular & Human Genetics with a minimum of 60% marks (55% for SC/ST/PH) can also apply for DBT JRF.
Age Limit
The upper age limit for a candidate to apply for DBT JRF is 28 years as of the last date of application. There will be upper-age relaxation applicable for candidates from reserved categories.
Examination Pattern
The DBT JRF exam is divided into two sections i.e., Section A & Section B. Candidates can check the section-wise examination pattern from the table below.
| Sections | Questions | Questions to be attempted | Total marks |
| Section A (Chemistry, Mathematics, General Science, quantitative ability, analytical, general biotechnology, General aptitude, etc.) | 50 | 50 | 150 |
| Section B (Specific areas of Biotechnology) | 150 | 50 | 150 |
| Total | 200 | 100 | 300 |
DBT JRF Syllabus
Understanding of DBT JRF syllabus is important for better preparation. there will be two sections in the exam and each section will have different topics and subjects. Candidates can check the details about the syllabus from the table below.
| Subject | Topics |
| General Biotechnology | Genetics, Biomolecular structure and function, Phylogeny & Evolution, Genomics and Proteomics, Cellular processes, Organization of structure and functions of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, Methods in Biotechnology, Recombinant DNA Technology, IPR, Biosafety & Bioethics |
| Aptitude | Comprehension, chemistry, finding the odd one out, quantitative ability, general biotechnology, mathematics. |
| Animal Biotechnology | Pathology, Animal Physiology and Biochemistry, Animal Parasitology, Immunology, Molecular Diagnostics, Research Methodologies, Animal Genetics, Animal Virology, Histology and Embryology, Molecular Medicine and Surgery |
| Agricultural Biotechnology | Tissue Culture, Abiotic and Biotic Stress Biology, Transgenic Technologies, and Biotechnology, Plant Biology, Molecular Breeding, Biodiversity, Physiology, Seed Technology, Molecular Biology, and Genomics |
| Environmental Biotechnology | Chemistry of organic and inorganic chemicals polluting the Environment, Basic Ecological Concepts and Principles, Water Pollution, Environmental Pollution, Waste Water Treatment Systems, Management of municipal, biomedical, and agricultural solid waste, Treatment of Typical Industrial Effluents, Environmental Pollution Control |
| M. Tech. Biotechnology, Biochemical Engineering, and Industrial Biotechnology | Bioprocess Engineering and Technology, Introductory Mathematics, Thermodynamics in Biological Systems, Engineering Principles, Downstream Processing in Biotechnology, Bioprocess Plant Design |
| Bioinformatics & Computational Biology | Proteins, Primary Bioinformatics Resources, Sequence Analysis, Basic concepts, DNA & RNA secondary, Database Searches, and tertiary structures, t-RNA tertiary structure |
Also Check other Important Exams List
DBT JRF Admit Card
The DBT JRF admit card will be released most likely in May 2024. The authority will issue the admit card online only. Candidates can download their DBT JRF Hall ticket from the official website after the announcement.
Candidates should bring the downloaded copy of DBT JRF Admit Card to the exam center along with a valid photo ID proof.
DBT JRF Answer key
National Testing Agency (NTA) will release the DBT JRF 2024 Answer Key online after the exam. Initially, the authority will release a provisional answer key in which candidates are allowed to raise objections if they find any error or mistake in the answer sheet.
Thereafter, authorities will release the final DBT JRF Answer Key. With the help of the answer key, candidates can calculate their estimated scores in the exam.
DBT JRF Result
The NTA will announce the BET exam 2024 results as a merit list and applicant scorecard. Candidates who qualify for the BET exam in Category I will be allowed to apply for a fellowship at any university or institute of their choice.
Category II candidates will be eligible for DBT-sponsored projects and can follow a Ph.D. subject to institutional requirements. Candidates can check their results online by entering their application number & password or DOB.
FAQs
The basic salary for the DBT JRF Recruitment is Rs 25,000 – Rs 31,000.
The BET exam score is valid for a year.
The exam conducts yearly.
Yes, the difficulty level of the exam is moderate to tough.