Nurses are one of the important pillars of the healthcare sector. If you aspire to help others and make a difference in society, then a career in Nursing is the right choice for you. Various nursing courses after 12th have different eligibility and job opportunities. Nursing career is the second most sought career after MBBS, especially after 12th.
Today, both men and women pursue nursing, which is a good thing. The latest report from AISHE states, “The total enrolment in nursing courses is 3.58 Lakh, of which 82.8% are females and 17.2% are males.”
We have prepared this comprehensive article to help you choose the best nursing courses after 12th and fulfil your dreams of becoming a nurse. This article contains all the nursing courses, colleges, entrance exams, and job prospects.
Let’s begin,
About a Nurse
Nurses are trained healthcare professionals who work to help patients, assist doctors, and provide care to old age people. Nurses can work in different healthcare sectors, such as private or government hospitals, community health centres, nursing homes and the armed forces.
Particularly both males and females are eligible to become a nurse, but you will find more female nurses.
Nursing Courses in India
There are multiple nursing courses available after the 12th and Graduation and Master’s, with different minimum eligibility criteria. We share the list of nursing courses available in India.
Specialization courses after BSc Nursing
Post-basic diploma courses are a 1-year course to gain knowledge in the specialization. Students who have passed GNM, BSc Nursing and post-basic BSc nursing are eligible for all the diploma courses.
Below is the list of the post-basic diploma courses
- Post Basic Diploma in Operation Room Nursing
- Post Basic Diploma in Cardio Thoracic Nursing
- Post Basic Diploma in Neurology Nursing.
- Post Basic Diploma in Midwifery Nursing.
- Post Basic Diploma in Psychiatric Nursing
- Post Basic Diploma in Critical Care Nursing
- Post Basic Diploma in Emergency and Disaster Nursing
- Post Basic Diploma in Oncology Nursing
- Post Basic Diploma in Ortho and Rehabilitation Nursing
- Post Basic Diploma in Geriatric Nursing
- Post Basic Diploma in Neonatal Nursing
- Post Basic Diploma in Forensic Nursing
- Post Basic Diploma in HaematologyNursing
- Post Basic Diploma in Burn & Reconstructive Surgery
Admission to nursing courses after 12th
a) For Admission in ANM and GNM courses, few states conduct combined entrance exams, and most states offer admission on a merit basis.
We have listed the admission process of a few state governments and government colleges in India.
| State/College | Admission Process |
| West Bengal | WBJEEB (West Bengal Joint Entrance Examination Board) |
| Bihar | DCECE |
| Jharkhand | ANM & GNM entrance exam by JCECEB |
| Gujrat, Haryana, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Kerela, Assam, Maharastra | Merit Basis |
| Jamia Hamdard | Jamia Hamdard nursing exam (GNM) |
| Aligarh Muslim University | AMU entrance exam Dip |
We recommend you look into the state government’s education and training website or the state nursing council website, which provides different college lists, eligibility, admission process, etc.
The next step would be to shortlist the college and directly visit the college website for detailed information about the admission process, fees, etc.
Most of the colleges in India will shortlist the candidates through merit. However, some private colleges call for written tests and interviews after shortlisting through merit.
b) BSc nursing regular has multiple entrance exams, that we covered in a separate blog.
Jobs and Career Opportunities for Nurses
There are multiple job opportunities you can see with different nursing courses.
ANM– You can get a job as a health worker offered by the National Health Mission at PHC and CHC and also a job in a Municipal corporation as a health worker. Minimum Pay can start from 15000 monthly, which will increase with experience.
GNM– GNM have more opportunities compared to ANM. You can work as a staff nurse in Private hospitals, government hospitals, PHC and CHC in rural areas and Nursing homes.
GNM with two years of experience can apply the NORCET exam conducted by AIIMS for recruiting Staff Nurses for all AIIMS. Likewise, different states conduct entrance exams to recruit staff nurses in government hospitals. The pay band will be Grade 07, 9300-34800. The salaries at Private hospitals and contractual jobs will start from 20000-25000.
Apart from a job, you can graduate after pursuing post basic BSc nursing after GNM. There are other opportunities open for specialization, and also you can see your career as a Tutor.
BSc Nursing: BSc Nursing is a graduate degree compared to GNM. Comparatively, the job and salary prospects are also the same, you can get a job as a staff nurse in Private hospitals, government hospitals, PHC and CHC in rural areas and Nursing homes.
You can clear the NORCET exam to get a permanent job in AIIMS as a Staff Nurse. You can apply for multiple public sector jobs and state government jobs after BSc nursing.
Another best career opportunity is to become a professor at a reputed college, and for that higher studies like MSc nursing with specialization is a must.
Nursing is a rewarding career with good scope in India and overseas. If you are proficient in English then clearing OET will open opportunities outside India.
There are good private hospitals in India listed below that pay a decent salary to Nurses.
- Manipal Hospitals
- Fortis Healthcare
- Apollo Hospitals
- Christian Medical College
- Max Healthcare
Nursing Colleges and Fees
For ANM and GNM we recommend you check the website of the Indian Nursing Council and different state Nursing Council lists for admission in specific States. The list is huge and every state has good colleges, so make your decision accordingly.
BSc Nursing we have listed the top 10 Colleges with fees in India.
| Colleges | Fees (4 years) |
| AIIMS | 2500 |
| PGIMER | 6000 |
| CMC | 120000 |
| National Institute of Mental Health & Neuro Sciences | 58000 |
| JIPMER | 23040 |
| BHU | 9000 |
| AFMC | 80000 |
| Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences | 23000 |
| King George`s Medical University | 43000 |
| Datta Meghe College of Nursing | 450000 |
Conclusion
Nurse is a profession that needs responsibility and brings a lot of satisfaction to passionate individuals who want to serve humankind. The demand for Nurses will always be there thus you will see many jobs (high and low pay). If this article helped and answered your question on how to become a Nurse then we expect you to share it with your friends.
If you are interested in the medical field then the below article is for you
