Study Forensic Science for unique investigative jobs – Times of India

Speaking to Education Times, Riva Pocha, assistant coordinator and senior faculty, Forensic Science programmes, St Xaviers College (Autonomous), Mumbai, says, “Forensic Science as a field is further divided into many specialisations like Forensic Toxicology, Forensic Serology, Forensic Medicine, Forensic Chemistry, Ballistic, Document Analysis and Cyber Forensics or Digital Forensics. The demand for cybercrime investigation and white-collar investigation is on the rise and hence students specialising in the field of Cyber Forensics, Forensic Accounting and questioned document examination will be in demand. Our forensic industry has trained manpower, but their employment is not well organised. Job opportunities, especially related to conventional crime investigation lie largely with government agencies that form a part of the justice delivery mechanism.”

“A career in forensics appears to be very exciting and dramatic, but students get disillusioned when they find difficulty getting jobs. Those who graduate intending to pursue a forensic career in corporate crime will find opportunities in multinationals like PwC India and Ernst & Young India.”

Neeta Raj Sharma, additional dean and professor, School of Bioengineering and Biosciences, Lovely Professional University (LPU), Jalandhar, says, “Sophistication and advancement of Forensic sciences would be a boon to tackle security-related issues. Forensic Video surveillance and face sketching techniques are of great significance to catch criminals. By clamping down on other crimes using forensics, problems like Naxalism and insurgency can be eradicated. Most institutions provide a wide array of courses to train people. Collaboration with the quality forensic laboratories would be of great help to nurture budding forensic scientists.”

After pursuing a course in Forensic Science, students can work in forensic laboratories, banks, MNCs, industries, hospitals and CBI and a host of other organisations. The average starting salary for forensic technicians ranges between Rs 4 to 9 lakh per annum.

Himanshu Khajuria, assistant professor, Amity Institute of Forensic Sciences, says, “Forensic science plays a critical role in the investigation of serious crimes. The courts frequently rely on forensic findings for breakthroughs in crime cases. However, the lack of forensic infrastructure and shortage of trained staff adversely affects the criminal jurisprudence in India. It leads to a mountain of the backlog of court cases. Top-quality BSc (H), MSc and PhD in Forensic Sciences is a must if we are to catch up with the rise of organised crime. The average salary package usually starts from Rs 3.6 lakh per annum and can go up to Rs 12 lakhs per annum. Students can work in state and central forensic science laboratories at various levels.”