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When I look at India’s demographic dividend, I see two conflicting realities. On one side, we proudly say that our country’s majority population is under 25. On the other, we must confront a troubling statistic: a youth unemployment rate of 15.5% in the country. These are the youth whose aspirations stalled, their degrees not translating into meaningful jobs. This paradox is especially visible in the life sciences, where India has world-class talent, but too many graduates end up driving cabs, serving tea, or working night shifts in call centres.
The question is not whether the government or the education system alone is responsible. The real challenge is how students can better prepare themselves for an evolving job market. That’s where I propose the PACE model: a simple, four-step mindset to help life sciences students unlock opportunities and carve out careers of purpose.
The PACE Model
- Prepare: Build the right skills beyond textbooks — from lab techniques to digital tools.
- Approach: Engage with peers, mentors, and alumni to understand industry needs.
- Collaborate: Work with students from other disciplines — biotech, engineering, management — because modern life sciences is deeply interdisciplinary.
- Explore: Be curious. Seek internships, research projects, startup incubators, or even entrepreneurial experiments.
The strength of PACE lies in its flexibility. It is not a linear formula where you Prepare first, then Approach, then Collaborate, then Explore. Nor is it a checklist where each box must be ticked off one after the other. Students can start anywhere, repeat steps, or mix them depending on their journey.
For instance, a student might begin by Exploring a startup internship, then Collaborate with peers from engineering, later Prepare through a skill-development course, and only then Approach mentors for guidance. Another might start with Approach, seeking advice from alumni, and build outward from there. PACE is less about sequence and more about mindset — a set of habits that together make students adaptable and opportunity-ready.
Four Ecosystems, Many Opportunities
If we view life sciences as a spectrum of opportunities, there are four major ecosystems:
- Academia – Teaching and research roles that shape knowledge, supported by NET, SET, JRF, and PhD pathways.
- Industry – Jobs demanding continuous upskilling in biotech, pharma, diagnostics, and healthcare.
- R&D Enablers – A growing space for project managers, science communicators, and grant specialists who keep research moving.
- Startups – Employers of the future, where innovation drives products and services that can scale globally.
Students can use PACE as a navigation tool: Prepare with ecosystem-specific skills, Approach mentors in each space, Collaborate across domains, and Explore until they find where they thrive.
Why This Matters Now
India stands at a unique crossroads. We are home to world-class scientific institutions, biotech parks, and a thriving startup culture. Meanwhile, global challenges — from pandemics to climate change — demand exactly the kind of solutions that life sciences can provide.
But without a generation of skilled, adaptive young professionals, these opportunities will remain underutilized. What we risk is not just wasted potential, but a failure to lead in areas where India could be a global frontrunner: precision medicine, biomanufacturing, regenerative therapies, climate-resilient agriculture, and more.
A Call to Students
I often hear students ask: “Where do I start?” My answer is simple — start with PACE. Build your skills, connect with your network, learn to collaborate across disciplines, and explore relentlessly. Whether your path leads you to a university lab, a corporate R&D wing, a grant management role, or your own biotech startup, PACE ensures you don’t wait passively for opportunities to come — you actively create them.
India doesn’t just need scientists; it needs scientists who can communicate, collaborators who can lead, and innovators who can execute. With the right mindset, our youth can transform the so-called “problem” of underemployment into a wellspring of progress.
Standing on the Shoulders of Giants
The late scientist Isaac Newton once said, “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” Our giants — from pioneers in medicine and agriculture to today’s biotech entrepreneurs — have built the foundations. Now it is up to this generation to climb higher, not by waiting for rescue, but by finding their own PACE.
This article reflects the author’s insights and interpretations and is intended to contribute to ongoing discussions on career development for life sciences students. The author is grateful to Mr. Dilip Joy for his valuable insights into the R&D Enablers section.
These pieces are being published as they have been received – they have not been edited/fact-checked by ThePrint.