Bioinformatics Course Eligibility: Course Wise, College Wise, Entrance Exams 2026

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Ishika Ray

Updated 3+ months ago

Bioinformatics courses are available at various levels (diploma, undergraduate, postgraduate, certifications) for students who are interested to learn how to store, classify, and analyze biological data using computers. Molecular biology and genetics are the two main fields that find applications in bioinformatics.

Bioinformatics course eligibility is different for various colleges, courses, and entrance exams, but the first step in order to be eligible for any Bioinformatics Course is to pass class 10 and class 12 examinations with a total aggregate of 50% in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology.

Top colleges that offer bioinformatics courses such as IIT Hyderabad, VIT Vellore, DTU Delhi require an aggregate score of 60% or more and valid scores in JEE Main or GATE exams to get admission.

JEE Main and GATE are two nationally recognized entrance exams for admission to bioinformatics courses at bachelor’s and master’s levels. GATE requires a candidate to have a 10+2+3 degree in Engineering/ Technology/Bioinformatics or Post Graduation in a relevant discipline whereas JEE Main requires only a class 12 passing certificate. 

Bioinformatics Course Eligibility: Quick Facts

  • To apply to any bioinformatics course, the candidates must secure 50% aggregate marks in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology in class 10 and 12. 
  • Usually, the admission process for BTech is done through the entrance test conducted by the institute or through the national level entrance exam i.e. JEE Main. 
  • Few universities also grant admission to students who have not taken biology in class 12, but their admission is based on JEE Main scores or another entrance test. 
  • To get admission to Postgraduate courses in Bioinformatics, Candidates must have done a bachelor's degree in computer science, Horticulture, Agriculture, Veterinary, Fishery Sciences, Information Technology or Biomedical Engineering with 60% aggregate.
  • Candidates with an MBBS, BAMS, BHMS degree are also eligible to apply for a master’s degree in Bioinformatics. 
  • The main entrance exam taken for admission to the master’s courses in bioinformatics is GATE, while some institutes take their entrance test separately to grant admission.
  • To get admission in the PhD program in bioinformatics, a Master's degree in Mathematics/Biotechnology/Bioinformatics is required.

Bioinformatics Course Eligibility: College Wise

There are many colleges in India that offer Bioinformatics programs. VIT, Amity University, Annamalai University are some of the top Bioinformatics colleges in terms of the course curriculum and the placements

The table below summarizes the Bioinformatics eligibility criteria for all the top colleges.

Undergraduate Bioinformatics Course Eligibility

College Name Degree offered Eligibility
VIT Vellore B.Tech 60% in 10+2 in Science stream Entrance Test (VITEEE) followed by counseling
Amity University Noida B.Tech 60% in 10+2 in Science stream Entrance Test (Amity JEE)
KL University, Guntur B.Tech 60% in 10+2 in Science stream Entrance Test (KLUEE/JEE/EAMCET)
Lovely Professional University B.Tech 60% in 10+2 in Science stream Entrance Test (LPUNEST, JEE)
Jaypee Institute, Noida B.Tech 60% in 10+2 in Science stream Entrance Test (JEE)
Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala BSc Admission is based on merit and cutoff
Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education, Chennai BSc Based on Merit
Satyabhama Institute of Science and Technology BSc Merit-Based
DY Patil University BSc Entrance exam based
Annamalai University Chidambaram BSc Merit-Based

Postgraduate Bioinformatics Course Eligibility

College Degree offered Eligibility
Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi M.Tech Minimum of 50% aggregate in B.Tech Entrance Exam
SRM University M.Tech Minimum of 50% aggregate in B.Tech Entrance Exam
NIIT University M.Tech Minimum of 50% aggregate in B.Tech
University of Pune M.Tech Merit-Based
Indian Institute of Technology, Allahabad M.Tech Minimum of 50% aggregate in B.Tech Entrance Exam
Banaras Hindu University MSc Merit and Entrance based
Jamia Milia Islamia University MSc Merit and entrance based
Amity University Noida MSc Merit and entrance based
Mumbai University MSc Entrance based
Banasthali Vidyapith MSc Entrance Exam followed by an Interview

PhD in Bioinformatics Course Eligibility

College Eligibility
Amity University Noida Postgraduate degree with 60% aggregate Entrance based admission
International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad Postgraduate degree with 60% aggregate Entrance based admission
Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology Entrance based admission
Karunya Institute of Technology and Science Entrance based admission
Chandigarh University Entrance based admission

Bioinformatics Entrance Exams Eligibility

Bioinformatics admissions in India are generally conducted through entrance exams which are national or state level or entrance exams by Universities and colleges separately. Some of them are:

GATE JEST
BINC JNCASR
CSIR UGC NET --

All of these entrance exams offer admissions to different Bioinformatics colleges. They all have their own set of eligibility criteria which a candidate is expected to follow when they apply for these Bioinformatics entrance exams.

GATE 2025

  • As per the expanded GATE eligibility criteria, candidates with a degree in BDS or MPharma are also eligible to apply for the exam of MTech.
  • The minimum qualification needed for the candidates to give the exam is 10+2+3 and final year undergraduate students are also eligible to appear for the test.
  • Candidates who have passed or pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering/ Technology/Bioinformatics or Post Graduation in a relevant discipline will be considered eligible for the course.
  • GATE exam does not have any age limit to apply.

Joint Entrance Screening Exam (JEST)

  • The Joint Entrance Screening Test which is commonly known as JEST is organized by the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR).
  • JEST Exam is accredited by the Science & Engineering Research Board (SERB) as a National Eligibility Test (NET). Students who are seeking admissions in PhD in Theoretical CS/Neuroscience/ Computational Biology/Bioinformatics or Physics can apply for the exam.
  • The candidate must have passed a postgraduate degree in a relevant discipline.
  • JEST exam does not have any age limit to apply.

Bioinformatics National Certification Exam (BINC)

  • The Indian government conducts BINC exam on behalf of the Biotechnology department (DBT) of India. 
  • This exam is conducted to identify and certify bio-informaticians to improve their employment opportunities.
  • Applicants who must have a bachelor's / master's degree in life sciences, physics, chemistry, mathematics, agriculture, veterinary medicine, medicine, pharmacy, engineering, and technology are eligible and can apply.
  • Final Year students in respective Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees can also apply.

Jawaharlal Nehru Center for Advanced Scientific Research Entrance Exam (JNCASR)

  • Jawaharlal Nehru Center for Advanced Scientific Research Institute is a multidisciplinary research institute which is funded by the Ministry of Science and Technology of the Government of India, offering integrated PG and Masters degrees (for research).
  • Candidates can apply online, provide they have a valid score in GATE / JEST / CSIR NET/JRF and alike. 
  • For the integrated doctorate, JNCASR conducts a written test followed by an interview in Bangalore.
  • Qualified JAM candidates can also apply. The Final selection of admission is based on an interview.

CSIR UGC Net Exam

  • The eligibility for the CSIR UGC NET is determined by the National Testing Agency (NTA). NTA determines the bioinformatics course eligibility criteria based on the age group and the educational qualification.
  • Candidates willing to appear for CSIR UGC NET must possess M.Sc. or equivalent degree / BE / B Tech / B.Pharma / MBBS with at least 55% grades to apply for the exam
  • The candidate must be an Indian citizen and must be no more than 28 years old.

Courses in Bioinformatics

Bioinformatics courses are offered both in undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in India. Various colleges and Universities offer bachelor, master, and doctoral courses in Bioinformatics. Some of them are mentioned below.

UG Bioinformatics Courses

  • Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Bioinformatics
  • Bachelor of Technology (BTech) in Bioinformatics
  • Bachelor in Science - Honors (BSc Hons) in Bioinformatics
  • Bachelor of Engineering (BE) in Bioinformatics
  • Certificate in Bioinformatics
  • Advanced Diploma in Bioinformatics

PG Bioinformatics Courses

  • Master of Science (M.Sc) in Bioinformatics
  • Master of Technology (M. Tech) in Bioinformatics
  • Master of Science - Honors (M. Sc Hons) in Bioinformatics
  • Master of Engineering (ME) in Bioinformatics
  • Master of Science (MS) in Bioinformatics

Doctoral Bioinformatics Courses

  • PhD in Bioinformatics

Bioinformatics Course Eligibility: FAQs

Ques. What are the eligibility criteria for BSc Bioinformatics?

Ans. The common eligibility criteria are 60% aggregate in the 10+2 science stream. Some universities and colleges may conduct entrance exams. In that case, the Admission will be done based on the scores of entrance and also 10+2 marks.

Ques. Is the Commerce group eligible for the Bioinformatics course?

Ans. No, Commerce Group candidates are not eligible to apply for the Bioinformatics course.

Ques. What are the exams that are conducted for the Bioinformatics course?

  • Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE)
  • Joint Entrance Screening Exam (JEST) 
  • Bioinformatics National Certification Exam (BINC)
  • Jawaharlal Nehru Center for Advanced Scientific Research entrance exam (JNCASR)
  • CSIR UGC Net Exam

Ques. Is BCom eligible for MSc Bioinformatics?

Ans. No, B.com candidates are not eligible to apply for MSc Bioinformatics. Only Students who have taken bachelor's degree in computer science, Horticulture, Agriculture, Veterinary, Fishery Sciences, Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) in Information Technology or Biomedical Engineering or medical candidates are eligible to apply.

Ques. Can I do MSc Bioinformatics with 40% marks in Graduation?

Ans. With 40% aggregate in Graduation is now enough to apply MSc in Bioinformatics in most of the colleges as they require a minimum of 50 to 60% of aggregate.

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