Forensic Science: Career, Jobs, Salary, and Education Requirements

Scope of forensic science jobs has expanded tremendously as the number of crimes has increased. As a results, forensic scientists are in high demand, particularly in India.

A forensic science jobs is often demanding as it requires dedication and relevant education and good analytical skills to work in challenging situations. Government intelligence systems generally hire forensic scientists, and various private systems tend to recruit forensic science experts. There are a lot of challenges in this field, but the pay scale is worth it.

Forensic Science Job Roles in India

Forensic science professionals assist in various jobs. From conducting a postmortem and making its reports to reviewing articles on a crime scene, their job is often challenging, and they are required to work in an unbiased manner. As a result, there are various job roles that a forensic scientist can opt for.

Below are some of the job roles mentioned in detail:

Forensic Psychologist
Crime Scene Investigator
Forensic Pathologist
Laboratory Analyst
Teacher or a Professor

Forensic Psychologist

A forensic psychologist is a professional who understands and analyzes criminals' traits to prevent heinous crimes in the future. They conduct interviews with the criminals and conclude by applying their knowledge in forensic psychology. The average salary offered for a Forensic Psychologist is INR 5.65 Lakh per annum.

Crime Scene Investigator

A crime scene investigator is a forensic scientist responsible for collecting all the relevant and expected items used as concrete proof. They need to investigate the crime scene adequately and click photographs of the evidence to prepare a crime scene report. The average salary offered for a Crime Scene Investigator is INR 6 Lakh per annum.

Forensic Pathologist

A forensic pathologist is the one who is required at the crime scene of murder or suicide. First, they analyze the injuries on the body. Besides, they perform the autopsy once they reach the laboratory. The average salary offered for a Forensic Pathologist is INR 10.17 Lakh per annum.

Laboratory Analyst

Crime laboratory analysts examine and analyze the samples of the suspected items from the crime scene. Laboratory analysts usually spend most of their working hours testing the body of the samples again and again to conclude. The average salary offered for a Laboratory Analyst is INR 2.94 Lakh per annum.

Teacher or a Professor

After a forensic science degree, graduates can work as a teacher or a professor in various Universities and colleges, whether government or private. They can teach the students forensic science at the undergraduate or postgraduate levels and get a handsome salary. The average salary offered for a Teacher or Professor is INR 10.27 Lakh per annum.

Top Recruiters for Forensic Science Graduates

Forensic is a Latin word that means public debate or discussions. Forensic science is also known as criminalistics. It is the application of science in the law, mainly on the criminal side of the law. Forensic science candidates are crime and evidence investigators. Forensic science brings the scientific method to the judicial system and assists in solving crimes. The demand for Forensic Scientists has only grown over time due to increasing crime rates.

The following are the top companies and agencies that recruit graduates and postgraduates in forensic science.

Intelligence Bureau
Central Bureau of Investigation
IFO Forensic Standards and Research Private Limited
Central Government Forensic Science Lab
Indian Army
Police Department
Private and Government Hospitals
Pathology Centers
The Quality Control Bureau

Salary for Forensic Science Jobs

Graduated beginners in forensic science are offered around INR 4 lakh per annum, and experienced professionals get around INR 6 lakh to INR 13 lakh per annum.

Various forensic sciences job roles and the salary ranges provided are listed below.

Crime scene investigators starting salary may be around INR 5 to 6 lakh per annum and can reach up to INR 13 lakh per annum.
A laboratory analyst starting salary may be around INR 4 lakh per annum and can reach INR 10 lakh per annum.
A forensic psychologist gets INR 2 lakh per annum initially, and with experience, the pay scale might reach INR 6.5 lakh per annum.
A forensic pathologist's starting salary may be around INR 3.5 lakh per annum, and it can go up to INR 6.5 lakh per annum.

Forensic Science Expert Eligibility and Requirements

Forensic science gives logic to the case by providing concrete evidence through physical examination of suspected samples and researches done at crime scenes. Forensic science is now a crucial part of the judicial system as it faultlessly interprets the data by giving a clear and concise report. The mere testimony of forensic scientists is a trusted factor in criminal and civil cases.

If a candidate wants to opt for a career in forensic science, then the candidate must follow the basic necessary steps given below:

Forensic science aspirants need to have 10+2 in the science stream to be eligible for undergraduate courses. To apply in master's or postgraduate courses, an aspirant needs to have an undergraduate or bachelor's degree in forensic science, criminology, pathology, engineering, or natural science.
An aspirant's second step to opt for a forensic science career is to have a bachelor's degree in forensic science.
Several universities and colleges, such as Lovely Professional University, Banaras Hindu University, Bundelkhand University, etc., offer undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in forensic science, such as B.Sc Forensic Science and Criminology B.Sc Forensic Science, B.Sc in Biology, and B.Sc in Chemistry. The forensic science programs specialize in a specific area of study of natural science.
To pursue a bachelor's degree of 3 years in forensic science, a candidate will have to pay INR 1.50 lakh to INR 3 lakh.
To pursue the full-time two-year Master's course, a candidate will have to pay INR 1 lakh to 2 lakh, whereas postgraduate diploma courses will require INR 2 lakh to 3 lakh.
There are certain short-term certification courses to pursue a forensic science career if you are not available for full-time studies.
It is necessary to take the work and projects in college to gain experience for fieldwork in real life.
There are various specialization courses such as Forensics Linguistics, Forensic Accounting, Forensics Chemistry, Forensics DNA Analogy, Forensics Microbiology, Forensics Toxicology, Forensics Engineering, etc.

Skills Required in a Forensic Scientist

There are personal qualities that may be useful, such as having a resilient outlook - some of the work is upsetting and unpleasant.

A candidate must ensure the following necessary skills before entering the fieldwork:

Critical thinking skills
Problem-solving skills
Observational skills
Analytical skills
Communication skills
Aptitude for scientific investigations
Technical knowledge
General knowledge about mathematics and science

Pros and Cons of Forensic Science Career

Each and everything on earth comes with two sides; a career in forensic science also has its pros and cons.

Forensic Science Career - Pros

Excellent pay scale
Continuously evolving technology
Also involves fieldwork
Outstanding career prospects both in the government and private sectors
Career growth

Forensic Science Career - Cons

Sometimes you may have to work at unusual hours.
Work experience is generally not decided by time but by the intensity of cases.
Graduates have a limited scope.
If you don't have a suitable skill, you might lose your chance of selection.
Very high work pressure

Books to Study Forensic Science

A candidate always needs guidance apart from an institution to excel in the field of work. There are certain books in Forensic Science as well, which helps the candidate of the modern era.

Below are some really good books that can be referred to by a candidate: