What different types of undergraduate medical degrees can I take?
There are various medical degrees available to secondary school graduates in India, ranging from a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS), to a Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine, to a Dental Diploma, and so on. Here you will find many possible undergraduate medical degree programs, the length of each program, the average cost, and each program’s requirements.
In India, medical education and its accreditation is monitored and controlled by the Medical Council of India (MCI). This is an organization that makes sure that all medical schools - the institutions that provide medical education to students in India - are following the same rules and guidelines, are maintaining the same admission and completion requirements, and are providing the same standard of quality to its students.
Apart from the field of Medicine, the other medical apex bodies in India in the fields of dentistry and pharmacy are the Dental Council of India (DCI) and the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI).
The undergraduate medical degrees available in India are as follows:
| Undergraduate Degree/Diploma | Full Title of Degree/Diploma | Duration | Cost | Minimum Requirements |
| MBBS | Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery | 5.5 years | From Rs. 332-970, up to 2-3 lakh | Age: 17 HSC/10+2: PCBE 50% Entrance Exam |
| BDS | Bachelor of Dental Sciences | 5 years | Up to 10-12 lakh at private institute; cheaper in govt institute | Age: 17 HSC/10+2: PCBE 50% Entrance Exam |
| BHMS | Bachelor of Homeopathic Medicine & Surgery | 5.5 years | Rs. 36,000 up to Rs.2-3 lakh | Age: 17 HSC/10+2: PCB 50% Entrance Exam |
| DHMS | Diploma in Homeopathic Medicine & Surgery | 4 years | Varies based on institution | Age: 17 HSC/10+2: PCB 50% Entrance Exam |
| BAMS | Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery | 5.5 years | Varies; Rs. 24,000 at Indian Medical Care Institute in New Delhi | Age: 17 HSC/10+2: PCB 50% Entrance Exam |
| BUMS | Bachelor in Unani Medicine | 5.5 years | Varies based on institution | Age: 17 HSC/10+2: PCBE 50% or passed Pre-Tib 1-year Exam Passed Urdu, Entrance Exam, Certificate of passing 8th class examination in Hindi |
| BVSc & AH | Bachelor of Veterinary Sciences & Animal Husbandry | 5 years | Varies based on institution | Age: 17 HSC/10+2: PCBE 50% Pass All India Pre-Veterinary Test Entrance Exam |
| B.Pharm. | Bachelor of Pharmacy | 4.5 years | Varies based on institution | Age: 17 HSC/10+2: PCB 50% Entrance Exam |
| D.Pharm. | Diploma of Pharmacy | 2 years | Varies based on institution | Age: 17 HSC/10+2: CPB/M 40% Entrance Exam |
| BOT | Bachelor of Occupational Therapy | 4.5 years | Varies based on institution | Age: 17 HSC/10+2: CPB/Botany & Zoology 45-50% Entrance Exam Interview |
| BMLT | Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Technology | 3-4 years | Varies; Rs. 61,800 at S.S. Institute of Medical Sciences Management Technology & Research in Agra | Age: 17 HSC/10+2: Science 50% Pre-University Vocational course with Lab Tech as vocational subject |
| BPT | Bachelor of Physiotherapy | 4.5 years | Varies; Rs. 60,000 at Indian Institute of Health Education & Research in Patna; Rs. 2 lakh at Arihant Institute of Paramedical Sciences | Age: 17 HSC/10+2: PCBE 45-50% Entrance Exam |
| B.Sc. Nursing | Bachelor of Science in Nursing | 4 years | About Rs. 60,000- 2,00,000 | Age: 17 HSC/10+2: PCBE 45%, Entrance Exam |
| BNYS | Bachelor of Naturopathy and Yogic Sciences | 5.5 years | Varies; Rs.45,000 annually (Sant Hirdaram Medical College, Bhopal) - Rs.1 lakh annually (JSS Institute, Coimbatore) | Age: 17-22 HSC/10+2 with 50% in PCB |