Right after passing 10th Standard, Science aspirants have two set of subjects in front of them. One is Mathematics, which opens doors to some wonderful career avenues including Engineering, Architecture, Statistics, Computer Applications, and Merchant Navy among others. While the other one is Biology, which gives an ample respectful, rewarding and well-regarded career opportunities such as Medicines, Ayurveda, Dental, Veterinary, Homoeopathy, Physiotherapy, and Pharmacy etc.
Today, a large proportion of the Science students, especially in India, opt for the medical courses after 12. Reason being, a career in the medical stream is not only considered prestigious but also gives high rewards in terms of paycheques, job scale and career growth. In addition to the perks, a career in medicines gives you the opportunity to make an impact to the human life. And, when you successfully influence someone’s life for a better way, the amount of job satisfaction you get is incomparable. Therefore, the medical stream has always been one of the most preferable disciplines among the students.
Like any other stream, there are tons of courses to pursue in the medical stream as well. However, I am sharing some of the most popular medical courses after 12th that will not only give you a lucrative career but also provide you with an inherent stability in your career.
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) is one such course that instantly comes to our mind when we hear the word “Medical”. However, that is not true. The medical field is way beyond than an MBBS degree. Yet, a degree is MBBS carries a great legacy of the medical field and serves the human life to a large extent.
As the name suggests, MBBS is a combination of two major degrees viz. Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery. Pursuing an MBBS degree gives you the knowledge of medicines and prepares you to perform the surgery as well. Hence, MBBS is one of the most challenging courses after 12th Science Biology. Let us take a look at some of the important details of the course that will help you take a step forward!
The duration of the MBBS course is 5.5 years that includes a compulsory internship of one year. The Medical Council of India (MCI) has divided the MBBS course into 9 different semesters.
You need to qualify NEET UG examination in order to apply for top medical colleges in India for MBBS.
The minimum age limit to pursue an MBBS degree is 17 years whereas the upper age limit is 25 years on or before 31st December of the year of admission.
However, MBBS is not the only course that is there to pursue in the field of medical science. There are tons of other courses in biology after 12th except MBBS. Let us find out what they are!
Ayurveda is the natural and traditional system of healing that has been followed in India for past thousands of years. Today, not only Indians but also the foreigners are pretty much inclined towards the field of Ayurveda. Among the various forms of medicines, Ayurveda is probably the most ancient of all. It is a known fact that where all the synthetic medications and treatments fail, Ayurveda does the job for you.
What makes the Ayurveda more reliable and popular is that it has no side effects at all. Therefore, despite being a time-taking procedure for healing, the people like to prefer Ayurveda more. Another reason for selecting Ayurveda as your career is that the level of competition in this field is not very high. Hence, an above-average student can get the admission in a good Ayurveda college and have a prosperous career.
BAMS is a 5.5-year course including a one-year internship, which is mandatory after completing the course. The BAMS course structure is almost similar to the MBBS course.
Same as for MBBS, you need to complete 12th with Biology as one of the main subjects at 10+2 level.
You need to secure at least 50% marks in aggregate.
You need to qualify NEET or any other medical entrance exam prescribed the institute you are taking admission to.
You need to be between 17 to 25 years of age at the time of applying to the Ayurveda entrance exam. However, the age limit may vary depending on the entrance exam.
Bachelor of Homeopathic Medicine and Surgery (BHMS) is another form of medicines that is quite popular across the world. Discovered by a German physician Samuel Hahnemann in 1800s, today, homoeopathy is considered one of the best popular and advantageous alternative medicines. While the number of total homoeopathic physicians in Britain and France is approximately 500 and 1000 respectively, India holds a strong position with having more than 150 homoeopathy medical schools across the country. This figure shows the popularity and acceptance the homoeopathy medicine has gained over the years in India. Another best thing about the homoeopathy is that its difficulty level is moderate as compared to the MBBS and BAMS.
The homoeopathy medicines are mostly made from the natural elements obtained by the animals, minerals and plants. The homoeopathy medicines are a blessing to heal tons of acute and chronic diseases.
BHMS course duration is five years and 6 months in India that includes lectures, industrial training and project works etc.
You should have studied Biology as the main subject in your 12th Standard.
You must have secured at least 50% marks in aggregate in 10+2.
A large number of homoeopathy aspirants sit for the NEET examination every year. NEET is the prominent examination for medical courses in India.
The minimum age limit for Bachelor of Homeopathic Medicine and Surgery is 17 years in most of the institutes, while you should not be above 25 years of age on or before 31st December of the year of the admission.
With technological progression, our lives have undoubtedly become easier. On the contrary, while all this comforts our lives, it carries a lot of stress altogether. Today, we became so busy that we do not have even a few minutes to relax and release the pressure on a daily basis. This hectic schedule leads us to many mental and physical illnesses. Thanks to the Unani Medicine that helps us lead a healthy life by making changes in our daily diets, beverages, and environment etc. Unani medication system is a part of the alternative medicines, which believes that improving the way we are leading our lives nowadays can really improve our health.
A career in the Unani Medicine gives tremendous job opportunities in India and abroad. Owing to its cost-effective and safe approach, the Unani Medicine is among the prior choice of treatment.
The course duration for BUMS is 5.5 years, which include one year of compulsory internship.
The basic eligibility criteria for pursuing BUMS is to pass 10+2 with Biology as the main subject.
You must secure a minimum of 50% marks in aggregate in Physics, Chemistry and Biology at 10+2 level.
Various medical colleges in India conduct many entrance exams in order to provide admission to their BUMS programs. You can either opt for NEET and apply for numerous medical colleges offering BUMS courses or can check for the colleges’ admission procedure you want to take admission in.
If you apply for NEET examination, the minimum age limit is 17 years while the maximum age limit is 25 years. However, for other medical entrance exams, the age limitation may vary.
One of the most dynamic branches of the medical science, Dentistry carries a lot of career opportunities in India and the abroad as well. The Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) opens a wide range of career options in the field dental science such as the General Dentist, Dental Specialist, Lecturer or Professor, Dental Researcher, Oral Pathologist, Dental Surgeon and many more. BDS is among the most sought-after courses after 12th biology after MBBS.
BDS has no specialisations to choose at the undergraduate level. However, when you opt for the MDS programme, you will have ample specialities you can go with, such as Community Dentistry, Pedodontics, Pedodontia and Preventive Dentistry, Prosthodontics, Conservative Dentistry and Endodontist, Oral Pathology and Microbiology and Orthodontics etc. These specialisations might look quite technical and bizarre, however, when you pursue a BDS programme, you will get familiar with them.
The course duration of BDS is 5 academic years whereas in the first 4 years you will get the expertise in the dental field and in the last 1 year, you will get the internship. You must note that the one-year internship is compulsory at the end of the course.
You need to have completed 10+2 with Biology as one of the subjects from a recognised board.
You should have a minimum of 50% marks in aggregate at 10+2 level.
You need to qualify the NEET entrance exam in order to be eligible for BDS course in one of the best dental colleges in India. You can get the admission to BDS program by applying to state-level dental and medical examinations as well.
For applying through NEET, you should not have less than 17 years of age and must not be above 25 years. However, other entrance exams and dental institutes may have their own criteria for age.
Physiotherapy is the branch of medical science that uses various physical activities and movements such as massage, physical exercise, and other practices that not only heal the dysfunction and dislocation of any part of the human body but also ensure all the body functions work properly. Along with suggesting suitable exercises, physiotherapists provide advice and counselling services to those having difficulty in physical activities due to the ageing, illness, or any injury etc.
Physiotherapists are the experts who have the in-depth knowledge about each the every body part and how all the human anatomy function. A Bachelor degree in Physiotherapy opens a wide range of career opportunities in many areas such as hospitals, health organisations, private clinics, fitness centres, sports training centres, Defence centres and so on.
The duration of the BPT course is 4 academic years followed by a six-month compulsory internship.
You need to complete 12th with Biology as the main subject from a government-approved institution.
You need to secure a minimum of 50% marks in aggregate at 10+2 level.
Every institute conducts its own entrance examination in order to provide admission to the Bachelor of Physiotherapy course. Hence, you need to qualify the entrance exam conducted by the institute itself. In addition, the institute may conduct a group discussion and personal interview for the selection as well.
Since the admission criteria are based on the institutes, the age limitation also varies.
Occupational Therapists are the experts who deal with patients who are physically, mentally and/ or emotionally not fit and are having problems in leading their lives independently. Occupational Therapists not only provide them with the treatment of their inabilities but also give them the mental support. Bachelor of Occupational Therapy is one most fast-growing fields in India and hence, the number Occupational Therapists in the country is increasing rapidly.
Occupational Therapists create an environment where all the patients take participation in many goal-oriented physical and mental activities, exercises and perform work-specific daily tasks. Some of the common treatment procedures in the occupational therapy include exercising, massaging, therapeutic bath and listening to music as well. Sometimes, the Occupational Therapy is also called the Moral Treatment, which improves the life-conditions of the patients.
The Bachelor of Occupational Therapy course duration is 4 academic years while you need to do an internship of 1 year in order to complete the course.
The basic eligibility to pursue a Bachelor degree in Occupational Therapy is to pass 12th with Physics, Chemistry and Biology as main subjects. However, some institutes consider students with Botany and Zoology subjects as well.
The entrance exam may vary depending on the institute you are applying to. Some institutes consider All India level entrance exam scores while some conduct their own entrance exam for the Bachelor of Occupational Therapy degree course admission.
Since the admission criteria are based on the institutes, the age limitation also varies.
Pharmacists’ job is not only just making available all kinds of drugs and medicines to the people but also taking care of the development procedure of these medicines. In addition, they prescribe patients on when and how to take the medicines. A degree in pharmacy makes you aware of the number of drugs and medicines, their properties and how they work. In the B.Pharma course, you will learn about the human anatomy, pharmaceutical biotechnology, pharmaceutical biostatics, pharmaceutical chemistry, clinical pharmacy and drug interaction etc.
For those who think that being a Pharmacist is the only career option available after having a Bachelor degree in Pharmacy, I would like to introduce them to some of the most career options after B.Phama. Apart from being a pharmacist, you can work as the health inspector, drug therapist, drug inspector, medical transcriptionist, hospital drug coordinator or drug and technician as well.
The duration for B.Pharma course is 4 academic years.
Ideally, you should have completed 12th with Physics, Chemistry and Biology as main subjects. However, there are a number of colleges and universities in India that consider students with Physics and Chemistry with Mathematics or Computer Science subjects.
You need to secure a minimum of 50% marks in aggregate in order to be eligible for the B.Pharma programme.
If you have a Diploma in Pharmacy (D.Pharma), you can get admission to the second year of B.Pharma directly through the lateral entry process.
You need to qualify Graduate Pharmacy Aptitude Test (GPAT) or Maharashtra Common Entrance Test (MH CET). In addition, various colleges and universities conduct their own entrance examination for B.Pharma admission.
You should have attained to the age of 17 years at the time of the admission. While the maximum age limit to apply for most of the B. Pharma colleges is 23 years.
Apart from these mainstream and popular medical courses after 12th, you may also opt for these courses after 12th PCB.
S. No |
Course Name |
Course Duration |
Eligibility Criteria |
Entrance Exam |
1 |
Bachelor of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry |
5 years |
10+2 with Biology and secure at least 50% marks |
All India Pre Veterinary Test (AIPVT) Many institutes conduct their own entrance exam |
2 |
Diploma in Pharmacy (Pharma D) |
5 years |
10+2 with Biology and secure at least 50% marks |
GPAT and other entrance exams conducted by the institutes and universities |
3 |
Bachelor of Science in Ophthalmic Technology |
3 years |
10+2 with Biology and secure at least 50% marks |
Generally, there is no entrance exam for B.Sc Ophthalmic Technology. However, some colleges and universities conduct their own entrance exam. |
4 |
Bachelor of Science in Nursing |
3 years |
10+2 with Biology and secure at least 50% marks |
Colleges conduct their own entrance exam. |
5 |
Bachelor in Medical Imaging Technology |
3 years |
10+2 with Biology and secure at least 50% marks |
No entrance exam. Though institutes may conduct their own entrance exam |
6 |
Bachelor of Medical Lab Technology (MLT) |
3 years |
10+2 with Biology and secure at least 50% marks |
No entrance exam. Though institutes may conduct their own entrance exam |
7 |
Diploma in Anaesthesia |
2 years |
10+2 with Biology and secure at least 50% marks |
No entrance exam. Though institutes may conduct their own entrance exam |
8 |
General Nursing and Midwifery (GNM) |
3 year |
10+2 with Biology and secure at least 50% marks |
Colleges conduct their own entrance exam. |
9 |
Diploma in Operational Therapy |
2 years |
10+2 with Biology |
No entrance exam. Though institutes may conduct their own entrance exam |
10 |
Diploma in Dialysis |
3 years |
10+2 with Biology |
No entrance exam. Though institutes may conduct their own entrance exam |