Nanotechnology

Nanotechnology is an interdisciplinary subject that combines physics, chemistry, biology and engineering. Professor Norio at the Tokyo Science University coined the term ‘nanotechnology’ in 1974.This science is based on the scale of nanometers. One nanometer is equal to one-billionth of a metre or roughly 50,000 times smaller than the diameter of human hair.The goal of nanotechnology is to control individual atoms and molecules in order to create components which are several times smaller than the ones currently in use. In India, this field is still at a nascent stage as compared to the progress it has made in countries like USA, Japan and France. However, if current indicators are anything to go by, the field is set to grow bigger and better.The Ministry of Science and Technology has earmarked Rs 1,000 crore for research in nanoscience for the present year, ten times more than the amount alloted to the field last year.

GETTING STARTED

“Most courses in India are at the M.Tech level. To enrol for these courses, a B.Tech, BE or an MSc with specialisation (project thesis) in the area of nanoscience and technology is the minimum required qualification,”says Prof Indranil Manna, Chairman, Central Research Facility, IIT-Kharagpur. Adds Prof Ajay Sood, Divisional Chairman, Division of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore,“If your knowledge in mathematics, physics and chemistry is strong at the MSc level, you can definitely work in various areas of nanoscience and nanotechnology.”
In terms of aptitude, the industry prefers candidates with a scientific bent of mind and a natural propensity for research work. An open mind with sound analytical and computer programming skills is a must for this field.

JOBS GALORE

It is estimated that development of nanotechnology would have an impact on several other fields such as medicine, aerospace technology, engineering, industrial technology, health, surface engineering etc. According to Prof Arup Kumar Raychaudhuri, Director, SN Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, Kolkata,“The job profile of a nanotechnologist will vary depending on the field of specialisation. For students specialising in materials or nanoelectronics from high-end research, there are jobs in many high technology laboratories.These jobs have significant R&D challenges and can be very rewarding if the student is innovative.There are also jobs in the engineering and automotive sectors. For students specialising in biological aspects, there are opportunities in pharmacy as well.”

MONEY MATTERS

The field of nanotechnology is expected to boom in the future and throw up a large number of job opportunities with handsome pay packages. Says Prof Raychaudhuri,“The starting salary depends upon the industry. In government — run laboratories, a person with an MTech degree can expect to start at a salary of around Rs 25,000 per month.” Obviously, your designation and pay-packet will rise commensurate to your experience in the trade and the type of work you do.

INSTITUTE LIST

The Indian Institutes of Technology at Madras, Kanpur, Mumbai, Kharagpur, Delhi, Guwahati

Jadavpur University, Kolkata

Punjab University, Chandigarh

University Of Madras, Chennai

Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore

Amity University, Noida