Summary
A Nurse is a qualified allied-health professional who supports diagnosis, treatment and recovery alongside doctors, and is often the person a patient interacts with most. In India this work sits inside the Medicine and Surgery stream: students usually take Science with Physics, Chemistry and Biology (PCB) in Class 11–12, qualify through MBBS / BDS / BAMS / BHMS as applicable, and specialise later through work experience or a master's. The sections below set out the study route, the entrance exams, the leading institutes in India and abroad, and the day-to-day reality of the job.
Core skills
- Precise clinical technique
- Patience and empathy with patients
- Equipment handling and hygiene discipline
- Accurate documentation
Where you can work
- Hospitals and multi-speciality centres
- Diagnostic labs and imaging centres
- Community health and government programmes
- Home-care, rehabilitation and wellness providers
Professional Opportunities
Hospitals and multi-speciality centres
Diagnostic labs and imaging centres
Community health and government programmes
Home-care, rehabilitation and wellness providers
Career Path
| Stage | What you study | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| After Class 10 | Science with Physics, Chemistry and Biology (PCB) | 2 years (Class 11–12) |
| Graduation | MBBS / BDS / BAMS / BHMS as applicable | 4.5–5.5 years + internship |
| After Graduation | MD / MS / MDS / DNB in a clinical specialisation | 3 years |
| After Post-Graduation | DM / M.Ch. super-speciality | 3–5 years (optional) |
Important Facts
- Entry qualification: MBBS / BDS / BAMS / BHMS as applicable.
- Most institutes ask for 50–60% in the qualifying examination; reserved categories usually get a 5% relaxation.
- Admission is through the entrance exams listed below — national tests plus the state CET where applicable.
- Government and private institutes both offer this route; fee levels differ sharply between them.
- Scholarships listed on the HBK scholarships page apply to most of these programmes.
Leading Institutes in India
| # | Institute | Entrance / Category | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi | MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine & Bachelor of Surgery) | www.aiims.edu/ |
| 1 | Maulana Azad Dental College & Hospital, New Delhi | BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery) | maids.delhi.gov.in/ |
| 1 | Madan Mohan Malviya Govt. Ayurveda College, Udaipur, Rajasthan | BAMS (Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine & Surgery) | dsrrau.info/ |
| 1 | Nehru Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, New Delhi | BHMS (Bachelor of Homeopathic Medicine & Surgery) | nhmc.delhi.gov.in/ |
| 2 | Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi | MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine & Bachelor of Surgery) | mamc.delhi.gov.in/ |
| 2 | Patna Dental College & Hospital, Patna | BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery) | www.patnadentalcollege.in/ |
| 2 | State Ayurvedic College & Hospital, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh | BAMS (Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine & Surgery) | saclko.in/ |
| 2 | Dr. B.R. Sur Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, New Delhi | BHMS (Bachelor of Homeopathic Medicine & Surgery) | shmch.delhi.gov.in/en |
| 3 | Vardhman Mahavir Medical College & Safdarjung Hospital, Delhi | MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine & Bachelor of Surgery) | www.vmmc-sjh.nic.in/ |
| 3 | Rajasthan Dental College & Hospital, Jaipur | BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery) | www.rdchjaipur.com/ |
| 3 | S.R.M. Govt. Ayurvedic College, Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh | BAMS (Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine & Surgery) | csjmu.ac.in/ |
| 3 | State National Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh | BHMS (Bachelor of Homeopathic Medicine & Surgery) | nhmclucknow.com/ |
| 4 | Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Medical Sciences and Dr. RML Hospital, New Delhi | MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine & Bachelor of Surgery) | www.rmlh.nic.in/ |
| 4 | Govt. Dental College, Thrissur | BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery) | www.gdcthrissur.org/ |
| 4 | Ch. Brahm Prakash Ayurved Charak Sansthan, Najafgarh, New Delhi | BAMS (Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine & Surgery) | cbpacs.delhi.gov.in/ |
| 4 | National Institute of Homoeopathy, Kolkata, West Bengal | BHMS (Bachelor of Homeopathic Medicine & Surgery) | www.nih.nic.in/ |
| 5 | University College of Medical Sciences & GTB Hospital, New Delhi | MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine & Bachelor of Surgery) | ucms.ac.in/ |
| 5 | Govt. Dental College, Bangalore | BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery) | gdcrib.karnataka.gov.in/english |
| 5 | University College of Ayurved, Rajasthan Ayurved University, Jodhpur, Rajasthan | BAMS (Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine & Surgery) | dsrrau.info/ |
| 5 | R.B.T.S. Govt. Homoeopathic Medical College, Muzaffarpur, Bihar | BHMS (Bachelor of Homeopathic Medicine & Surgery) | rbtsghmch.in/ |
| 6 | Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research, Puducherry | MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine & Bachelor of Surgery) | jipmer.edu.in/ |
| 6 | Dental College, Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences | BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery) | jnims.nic.in/ |
| 6 | Rishikul Govt P.G. Ayurvedic College & Hospital, Haridwar, Uttarakhand | BAMS (Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine & Surgery) | rishikulayurvedacollege.com/ |
| 6 | University College of Homoeopathy, Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Rajasthan Ayurved University, Jodhpur, Rajasthan | BHMS (Bachelor of Homeopathic Medicine & Surgery) | dsrrau.info/ |
| 7 | Government Medical College, Chandigarh | MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine & Bachelor of Surgery) | gmch.gov.in/ |
| 7 | Dental College, RIMS, Imphal | BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery) | www.rims.edu.in/secure/ |
| 7 | Govt. Ayurvedic College & Hospital, Sampoornanand Sanskrit University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh | BAMS (Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine & Surgery) | www.ssvv.ac.in/ |
| 7 | Govt. Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh | BHMS (Bachelor of Homeopathic Medicine & Surgery) | www.ghmcbhopalayush.in/ |
| 8 | Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi | MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine & Bachelor of Surgery) | fmsc.ac.in/lady.htm |
| 8 | S.C.B. Dental College & Hospital, Cuttack | BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery) | scbdental.nic.in/ |
Institutions Abroad
| Institute | Country | Website |
|---|---|---|
| Harvard Medical School | United States | hms.harvard.edu/ |
| University of Oxford | United Kingdom | www.ox.ac.uk/ |
| Karolinska Institutet | Sweden | ki.se/en |
| Johns Hopkins University | United States | www.jhu.edu/ |
| University of Melbourne | Australia | www.unimelb.edu.au/ |
Entrance Exams
| Exam | Full name | What it admits you to | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| NEET UG | National Eligibility cum Entrance Test | MBBS/BDS and AYUSH Courses across Medical colleges in India | neet.nta.nic.in/ |
Work Description
- 01Prepare patients, equipment and records before each procedure or session.
- 02Carry out the clinical or technical work the role is licensed for, following standard protocols.
- 03Monitor patients, record readings and escalate anything abnormal to the treating doctor.
- 04Maintain equipment, stock, calibration and sterility standards.
- 05Counsel patients and families on aftercare, medication and follow-up.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Short, employable qualification with fast entry
- Very strong demand in India and abroad
- Regular hospital-sector openings and overseas mobility
Cons
- Shift duties including nights and weekends
- Physically and emotionally demanding days
- Pay depends heavily on employer type and city
Are you fit for this career?
Take the free HBK psychometric test and see how Nurse matches your interests and aptitude.
Sources
© HBK Careers. Compiled in-house from official regulators, exam bodies and institute websites. Exam and institute records on this page are the same records used across the HBK handbook and exams pages.