Lab Assistant
Last updated · Confirm dates, fees and eligibility on the official website before you apply.
Prepares samples, reagents and equipment and runs routine tests under supervision, in chemical, clinical or educational laboratories. Careful method and clean records are the whole of the job.
- Route in
- Earliest entry: ITI. Also entered at: ITI, Certificate. Direct entry. 2 courses lead here
- Entry pay
- ₹13,000 – ₹24,000 / monthly Any experience
- Where you work
- Chemical and pharmaceutical QC labs, Testing laboratories, Food testing labs, Water treatment plants
How people get in
Getting in
Earliest entry point. ITI level.
Other levels people enter from. ITI, Certificate.
Where people work
Outlook
Chemical and pharmaceutical QC labs, Testing laboratories, Food testing labs, Water treatment plants.
Indicative starting salary
Understand the role
13,000 - 24,000 per month at entry level.
This is an indicative range, not a quote. Actual pay varies with employer, city, sector and the specific role.
The route in, step by step
6 steps from where you are now.
Class 10 or Class 12 with science Required
Chemistry and biology are directly used.
ITI Laboratory Assistant, or a B.Sc Required
Two years for the ITI trade, three for the degree. The degree opens laboratories the trade certificate will not.
Learn laboratory practice Required
Glassware, reagent preparation, sampling, instrument handling and safety. Chemical handling and disposal discipline is a real safety matter, not paperwork.
Work in a laboratory Required
Industrial, testing, educational or research laboratories. Assisting with tests, maintaining records and keeping the laboratory running.
Learn instruments and standards Required
Specific analytical instruments, and the quality framework - NABL accreditation requirements for testing laboratories, or GLP where applicable.
Laboratory technician or analyst, or study further Optional
Promotion within the laboratory, or a B.Sc and M.Sc that convert an assistant role into an analyst career.
Courses that lead here
2 mapped routes into this career.
What it pays
Indicative bands.
| Stage | Pay band | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| Any experience | ₹13,000 – ₹24,000 / monthly | Varies by employer |
These are ranges, not offers. Pay varies by city, employer size, sector and your own skill more than by job title. Treat the band as the shape of the market, not as a number you can hold anyone to.
Common questions
The ones people actually ask about this work.
What qualification do you need to become a Lab Assistant?
The earliest entry point is iti level. People also enter from: ITI, Certificate.
Where does a Lab Assistant usually work?
Chemical and pharmaceutical QC labs, Testing laboratories, Food testing labs, Water treatment plants.
What does a Lab Assistant earn to start?
13,000 - 24,000 per month is a typical entry-level range. Pay varies with employer, city and sector.
Test this against your own priorities
Pay, hours and entry route matter differently to different people. Compare this against the alternative you are actually weighing, rather than against the average.