What is Biochemical Engineering?: Course Fees 2026, Subjects, Top Colleges, Admissions

Biochemical Engineering is an interdisciplinary discipline. It mixes biotechnology with the fundamentals of Chemical Engineering. It includes biochemistry and molecular biology, and apply that to the manufacturing of processes and making new materials and components. Courses in Biochemical Engineering concern with the fact how to translate discoveries in the life sciences into real processes and real products.

Differences between Biotechnology and Biochemical Engg. Courses are mentioned below for your reference:

The above information is sourced from multiple external/ official sites on the web and hence may vary.

There are many skills that Biochemical Engineering students might need. One doesn't need to gain these skills in a classroom setting but can acquire them through practical experience.

So, students must always look for opportunities to learn new skills and gain as much experience as possible. Some of the important skills in general include: 

• Laboratory Skills
• Analytical and Problem-Solving Aptitude
• Good Research Abilities
• Technical Knowledge
• Critical Thinking and Collaborative Spirit
• Attention to Detail

You typically have to complete Class 12th from the Science stream (PCM/PCMB) with aggregate marks ranging from 50 to 60 percent. The marks requirement varies from college to college. The IITs ask for at least 75% marks in Class 12 board exams.

Further, top-ranked colleges require national-level entrance score like JEE Main and JEE Advanced or other state-level exams like WBJEE and KEAM as per state level top colleges.  

Definitely Yes,  candidates who have studied Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics can also pursue Biochemical Engineering course since the requirement of studying Biology generally arises for BSc Biotechnology and not BTech courses. Therefore, candidates will be offered common electives in  the field of Biology which they can pursue while undergoing BTech in Biochemical Engineering. Moreover, PCB students can also study this course but they must have also studied Mathematics in order to appear for JEE. 

The time involved in the Biochemical Engineering admission process can easily take up to a few months. After you get done with your entrance exam, the general procedure that follows includes the declaration of exam results, applying for the counselling process in the virtual mode, seat allotment on the basis of your exam rank, and admission confirmation from your end by visiting the college and paying the Biochemical Engineering course fee. 

Some of the popular exams for admission to Biochemical Engineering programs in India include:

National-Level Exams- JEE Main, JEE Advanced, GATE, CUET, etc.

Sate-Level Exams- WBJEE, KEAM, Karnataka PGCET, TNEA Counselling, etc.

Some universities also admit students on the basis of Class 12 marks and take extra assessment rounds like PI or GD rounds in such cases. You should check the admission guidelines for your preferred universities on their official websites. 

There isn't any minimum score required for Biochemical Engineering itself. However, it is recommeneded to score a good rank in JEE Main in order to get a specialisation of your choice. 

Moreover, it also depends from university to university as the eligibility crietria vary. 

JEE Main Rank Predictor is a tool develped on past year percentile and rank data. When any candidate provides their NTA percentile, the rank predictor of JEE Mains will give an estimated rank by analysing the previous year percentile vs rank information. The accuracy of JEE Main Rank Predictor is precisely equal to the actual rank but one major factor will be total number of candidates who take the test. Candidates can also check marks vs percentile JEE Mains 2026 to get analysis of their scores in the exam. 

You have to apply on the official TNEA website - tneaonline.org.

GATE exam is conducted only once a year to offer admissions to master's and PhD programs at top institutions, such as IITs and NITs. Qualifying GATE exam also paves way for technical jobs in in PSUs. This year, IIT Guwahati will conduct GATE 2026 exam. GATE 2026 exam dates are OUT. GATE 2026 EXAM DATES are February 7, 2026 to February 8, 2026 and February 14, 2026 to February 15. 2026. GATE will be held on different dates in two shifts. Candidates are advised to keep checking website for GATE 2026 official notification. 

GATE qualifying cutoff is institute eligibility cutoff, and on other hand, GATE admission cutoff ensures a call for admission at IITs, NITs, IITs, and CFTIs. Check below in detail:

GATE Qualifying Cutoff: It is minimum mark a candidate must score so that he or she is eligible for admission. But this does not mean that a candidate is selected for admission. Actually, it is fixed before announcement of GATE results. It is announced by conducting IIT and available on GOAPS. It includes qualifying marks for each paper.

Admission GATE Cutoffs: It is final opening and closing rank score fixed by participating institutes for selection of candidates. It is to be noted here that meeting admission GATE cutoff does not mean that candidates will be selected for admission. It is fixed after GATE result date. It is declared by individual participating institutes and available on their respective counselling portals (CCMT/ COAP).

For that indulge in some self introspection. Both the choices have their own perks and benefits. If you feel like you want to go into the research field and learn advanced level knolwedge and concepts related to Biochemical Engg, you can definitely opt for an MTech degree in the field. 

But, if you are satisfied with your 4-year BTech Biochemical Engineering academic ride, you must look for a job. Top recruiters are ready to offer decent salary packages to Biochemical Engineering graduates with the right skill set and knowledge.

You can opt for a PhD in Biochemical Engineering course after MTech with at least 55% marks and clearing relevant entrance tests.

The PhD duration will be around 3 to 6 years. It depends on your research topic and module. You need to be mentally prepared, as a doctoral degree requires a lot of dedication and hard work.  

 For your reference, some of the important subjects covered in Biochemical Engineering courses are listed below

• Biology and Biochemistry
• Chemical Engineering Principles
• Microbiology
• Bioprocess Engineering
• Maths and Statistics
• Bioinformatics
• Bioreaction Engineering

Courses in Biochemical Engg can be studied at the UG, PG, and doctorate levels in India. The syllabus for the course differs on the basis of the course level and the instituion where you plan to pursue the course. The coursework pattern includes core subjects, elective subject choices, and laboratory work. Some general electives for Biochemical Engineering are given here:

• Physical and Chemical Properties of Biomolecules 
• Environmental Biotechnology
• Advanced Bioprocess Control
• Metabolic Regulation and Engineering
• Plant Cell and Animal Cell Technology
• Genome Engineering

There are 19 government Biochemical Engineering colleges in India. Some of the most well-known colleges along with their course fee for the course are given below:

Source - Multiple external/official sites, data may vary.

Various colleges offer MTech course in Biochemical Engineering on the basis of GATE scores. Candidates can prepare for IIT Delhi

• Visvesvaraya Technological University
• BMS College of Engineering
• Harcourt Butler Technical University, Kanpur
• Integral University
• Sree Buddha College of Engineering

The scope for biochemical engineering in India is explained point by point below for your reference:

Thriving healthcare and pharmaceuticals: India is fast emerging as a hub for healthcare and pharmaceutical companies, and there is a demand for dedicated workers who can come up with drugs and vaccines, or design medical instruments. Some large products of biochemical engineering include the invention of bioreactor technology in the large scale production of these products with a positive spin on the accessibility of health facilities.

Growing food and beverage sector: The growing food industry including processed and packaged food gives biochemical engineers the opportunity of employment in food processing, preservation and quality analysis.

Focus on renewable energy: Specifically, biochemical engineers can help India achieve its clean energy policy by utilizing feedstocks of Agricultural residues, other renewable raw materials for the production of bio-fuels.

Environmental concerns: In dealing with environmental concerns, biochemical engineers are capable to incorporate the necessary measures in the design of wastewater treatment and bioremediation of contaminated sites and designing of environmentally friendly manufacturing processes to reduce pollution production.

Some exciting possibilities you can explore after graduating are mentioned below -

Master's Degree: To advance one’s career, one can consider enrolling for a Master of Science in Biochemical Engineering or Biotechnology or any related field to get a further degree and specialty.
MBA: MBA together with your degree in BTech would provide you with knowledge and skills in business management coupled with knowledge in the bio-industry that will make you the best person for management jobs.

Employment in Diverse Industries-

• Pharmaceuticals and Biotechnology: This is something biochemical engineers can easily relate to. Career opportunities in this field can include fine-tuning pathways to manufacture drugs at various capacities, engineering structures known as bioreactors, or enhancing techniques commonly referred to as fermentation.
• Food and Beverage Industry: It is useful in food processing, providing solutions to methods of fermentations as in brewing or yogurt-making, food quality assurance or even creating new foods.
• Biofuels and Renewable Energy: Work towards India’s commitment of providing clean energy to its citizens by modeling and analyzing the bio-refineries for deriving fuel from agricultural residues or any other renewable feedstock.
• Chemicals and Petrochemicals: The rules of biochemical engineering can be useful to invent bio-similar materials for conventional chemicals, improve production cycles or design equipment for biochemical transformations.
• Environmental Engineering: Tackle the environmental problems by developing the processes to treat the wastewater, remove pollutants from the contaminated sites or to invent the environmentally friendly industrial processes to reduce amount of wastes produced.

Biochemical engineers are like "chefs" for biological processes. They use microorganisms and enzymes to produce valuable products like drugs, food and biofuels.

Moreover,  Biomedical engineers are like "mechanics" for the human body, designing and building technologies to diagnose, treat, and improve human health. To understand the key differentiation refer to the table given below:

The above information is fetched from various external sites hence may vary.

Candidates can pursue PhD in Biochemical Engineering after completing MTech in Chemical Engineering or any other related specialisation. Candidates need to clear the Research Eligibility Test as well as interview in order to secure admission to PhD course. A handful of colleges offer PhD courses in Biochemical Engineering such as: 

• Harcourt Butler Technical University, Kanpur
• Indrashil University