About Nursing Course

Nursing is an integral part of the healthcare system. Students who pursue nursing courses are trained to take care of the patients, assist doctors, and manage general tasks in a hospital (first aid, patient records, etc). BSc Nursing, MSc Nursing, ANM Nursing, GNM Nursing, and Diploma in Nursing are popular nursing degrees after the 12th. Nursing course eligibility is to pass class 10+2 examinations with up to 50% aggregate marks. 

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Types of Nurses

Depending on the type of nursing degree, nursing specialization, work experience, and location different types of nurses are mentioned below:

• Nursing Degree: Depending on what nursing courses an aspiring nurse opts for, they can become auxiliary nurses and midwives (ANM Nurse), general nurses and midwives (GNM Nurse), and graduate nurses (BSc nursing or MSc nursing). As per salary reports graduate nurses are paid higher (approx INR 3.5 lakhs per annum) than ANM Nurses (INR 1.5 lakhs per annum) or GNM Nurses (INR 2 – 3 lakhs per annum).

• Nursing Specializations: Aspiring nurses are offered to choose Specializations After BSc Nursing. Depending on the nursing specialization, nurses are categorized into intensive care nurses, obstetrics nurses, pediatric nurses, emergency medicine nurses, personal nurses, etc. Intensive Care Unit Nurses (ICU Nurses), Emergency Room Nurses (ER Nurses), and Pediatric Nurses are paid the highest (INR 2.8 – INR 3.05 lakhs per annum).

• Location: A staff nurse’s salary in Mumbai and Delhi is 11 – 33% higher than the national average salary of a nurse.

• Experience: Staff nurses earn INR 2.08 lakhs per annum as freshers. After 1 -4 years of work experience, staff nurses earn INR 2.46 lakhs per annum. In the late career (10-19 years of experience), a staff nurse can get average compensation of INR 5.03 lakhs per annum. 

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Nursing Course Duration and Fees

The sections below highlight the major details of different types of nursing courses in India.

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6 Month Nursing Course in India

• 6 Month Nursing Course in India comprises nursing certifications. The objective of these short-term nursing courses is to focus on the fundamentals of nursing or help in specializing in a particular area of expertise.

• Certificate in Critical Care Nursing, Certificate in Pharmacy, Certificate in Paramedical, and Certificate in Practical Nursing are popular 6-month nursing courses in India.

• 6-month nursing course in India is available on online platforms like Udemy, edX, and Coursera; they offer 6 months of nursing courses recognized by top Universities and Nursing councils abroad. Check: Top Nursing Courses on Udemy

• 6-month nursing course eligibility is to pass class 10+2 and possess a basic knowledge about the nursing course and first aid; 6 months nursing course fees range between INR 10,000 – INR 1,00,000 on average.

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Diploma in Nursing

A diploma in Nursing is a training course that is a year shorter than BSc nursing and can be done after class 12.

• ANM and GNM courses are popular diplomas in nursing programs. Students who have secured a minimum of 50% aggregate in class 10 and class 12 exams are eligible to apply for a diploma in the nursing program.

• Some diplomas in nursing programs may require a candidate to have at least 2 years of work experience post GNM course.

• Colleges that offer diplomas in nursing programs offer admissions on the basis of merit. There is no such entrance exam conducted especially for diplomas in nursing programs.

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GNM Nursing

• GNM nursing's full form is general nursing and midwifery. GNM nursing is one of the popular diplomas in nursing programs.

• GNM nursing course lasts for 3.5 years. Students are required to do a 6-month internship in the last 6 months.

• Students securing a minimum of 40% score in English and other subjects opted in class 10 and class 12 are eligible to apply to GNM nursing colleges.

• Those who have pursued ANM nursing courses and have secured minimum qualifying marks, or those who have done any vocational course recognized by the CBSE/NIOS/state board can also apply for GNM nursing. 

• The minimum age limit to apply for GNM nursing is 17 years and the maximum age limit is 35 years as of December 31st.

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ANM Nursing

• ANM nursing full form is auxiliary nursing midwifery. ANM nursing is another popular diploma in nursing programs.

• ANM nursing course lasts for 2 years. Students are required to do a 6-month internship in the last 6 months.

• Students from arts or science backgrounds who have secured minimum qualifying marks (as stated by the colleges offering ANM nursing courses) in class 10 and class 12 are eligible to apply to ANM nursing colleges

• The minimum age limit to apply for ANM nursing is 17 years and the maximum age limit is 35 years as of December 31st.

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BSc Nursing 

• BSc Nursing is a 4-year professional program that can be pursued after class 12 and clearing the required BSc nursing entrance exams.

• Other than BSc nursing, BSc nursing Hons and post-basic BSc nursing are also available but their duration and eligibility criteria may differ.

• BSc nursing eligibility is clearing class 10+2 with PCB and English as mandatory subjects and a minimum of 45% aggregate. The candidate must be medically fit and should be between 17 – 35 years of age as of December 31st.

• BSc nursing post basic eligibility is clearing class 10+2 from a recognized board of education, or a GNM nursing degree. The candidate must be a registered nurse/registered midwife with any of the state nursing registration councils.

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BSc Nursing Course Fees

• BSc nursing course fees on average are INR 1,600 – INR 23,000 for the entire 4-year BSc nursing program.

• BSc nursing government colleges like AIIMS, PGIMER, and PDUMC have BSc nursing course fees of INR 580 – INR 10,000 for the entire 4-year program.

• BSc Nursing Course Fees in Private Colleges however are slightly on the higher end. BSc nursing fees in Sharda University, Jain University, and Symbiosis are roughly INR 1 – 2 lakhs per year.

• The table below lists the top 5 BSc nursing colleges that have the lowest BSc nursing fees in India:

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Specialization Courses After BSc Nursing 

• Students who aspire to pursue nursing courses after 12th must also know the various specializations this course offers to become a nurse. Here is the list of specializations that an aspiring student can choose to become a nurse.

• Community Health Nursing

• Medical-Surgical Nursing

• Pediatric Nursing

• Mental Health Nursing

• General Nursing

• Adult Nursing

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MSc Nursing

• MSc Nursing is a professional postgraduate program after BSc nursing that can be done in a variety of specializations such as pediatric nursing, psychiatric nursing, mental health nursing, medical-surgical nursing, etc.

• MSc Nursing eligibility criteria is clearing BSc Nursing/BSc Nursing Hons/BSc Nursing Post Basic from a recognized institution and 55% aggregate marks.

• He/she should be a registered nurse or midwife or similar from any state nurse registration council.

• Some MSc nursing colleges require candidates to have at least 1 year of work experience after BSc Nursing or 1 year of work experience before BSc nursing post-basic.

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Nursing Salary 

The salary of the nurses varies for freshers and experienced ones, it also depends on the job role they take up. Here are some of the salary structures for nurses in India.

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