MBBS Course: A Complete Guide
MBBS is a 5.5 year long undergraduate program and one of the highest prestigious courses, which comprises medicine. This program includes 4.5 years of academic study and 1 year of internship as compulsory practice. The program is a balance of theoretical knowledge and a vast amount of practical training in clinical settings, where students are prepared to diagnose and treat different kinds of diseases. The MBBS admission process in India is extremely competitive, and students are selected purely based on merit by scoring marks in the NEET UG exam. To join the MBBS course, candidates must have passed Class 12 in the Science stream with subjects such as Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology, Mathematics, and English, with practical tests in these subjects. Moreover, candidates must be at least 17 years old and rank in the NEET UG merit list. This entrance test is the only gateway to MBBS admissions in India.
Medical graduates must complete at least six months of Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship (CRMI) following the completion of the academic part of the course. This clinical training in all departments forms an essential part of the program and needs to be completed before a student can be considered officially qualified for MBBS. After this, only then can they practice medicine according to the laws of their respective medical universities.
India has many ranked MBBS colleges, such as AIIMS Delhi, CMC Vellore, JIPMER, KGMU, and Kasturba Medical College, among others. The MBBS fees varies widely, from INR 25,000 to INR 1.15 crore, depending on the institution and whether it is government-run or private.
The MBBS degree offers various professional career options as general practitioners or specialists, including the opportunity for advanced studies in many areas of medical practice. Possible MMBS jobs include private and public hospitals, armed forces' medical services, or opening individual clinics. The approximate salary for MBBS doctors working in India may range from INR 2.5 to 15 LPA depending upon experience, field of specialization, and type of workplace.
Also watch -
MBBS Course Highlights
The 5.5-year undergraduate Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) program teaches students how to diagnose patients, find medications and treatments, and perform surgeries. In India, admission to various medical schools for the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS full form) program is contingent upon passing the NEET UG. Candidates can review the MBBS information in the table below to learn more about the specifics of the MBBS course:
Key Takeaways from NEET 2024 -
- NEET UG is taken in languages like English, Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu.
- NEET 2024 has seen the most registrations to date with roughly 24,06,079 applications and 3,39,125 registrations. Uttar Pradesh was the most popular state, followed by Maharashtra with 2,79,104.
- The male to female ratio of the registrants are 9,98,298 men (43.1%) and 13,34,982 women (57.5%) signed up for NEET UG 2024.
MBBS Admission 2025
A general overview of the Indian MBBS admissions process for 2025 is provided below for candidates:
- Eligibility: Requires completion of Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and English in the 12th grade.
- NEET-UG Registration: Visit the official NEET website to register online. Send in the required paperwork and pay the application fee.
- Entrance Exam: Take the NEET UG
- Declaration of Results: The NEET results are made available online.
- Registration: For counseling through the Medical Counseling Committee (MCC) or state authorities as part of the MBBS counseling process. Enter your college preferences.
- Seat Distribution: NEET rank, reservation, and preferences are taken into consideration when allocating seats.
- Verification of Documents: Check documents at the designated college.
- Admission: Pay the required amount and finish the college's requirements.
Students' NEET UG exam scores matters the most in order to be eligible for the MBBS degree. Moreover, students must have finished their 12th grade education with physics, chemistry, biology, and biotechnology as required subjects in order to be eligible for NEET. A recent National Medical Commission update, however, allows students who take mathematics as an elective to take the NEET exam -
AIIMS MBBS Admission Process
NEET UG is undertaken for admission to AIIMS and other top institutes. The counseling at AIIMS is centralized in nature, and candidates must obtain a higher ranking in NEET in order to grab a seat.
For most courses, the admission process follows these steps:
Step 1: Apply for NEET UG entrance examination, if one intends to get admission in the MBBS program.
Step 2: Appear for counseling and the corresponding seat allotment.
Step 3: Take the admission after seat allotment as confirmed to the course by paying the corresponding fee.
MBBS Eligibility Criteria
The eligibility criteria for pursuing an MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery) degree typically involve meeting academic qualifications, age requirements, and clearing an entrance exam -
| Criteria | Details |
| Age | Candidate must be at least 17 years old as of December 31st of the admission year. |
| Educational Qualification | Must have completed 10+2 or equivalent with Physics, Chemistry, and Biology as mandatory subjects. |
| Minimum Marks | A minimum of 50% marks in the qualifying exam (40% for SC/ST/OBC candidates). |
| Entrance Exam | Candidates must qualify for an entrance exam such as NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test) in India or equivalent exams in other countries. |
| Citizenship | Indian nationals (for Indian colleges) or respective country’s nationals for foreign colleges. |
MBBS Entrance Examination 2025: NEET UG Dates
A student must first take the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET-UG), which is the MBBS entrance exam, in order to get admission to the MBBS program in India. Both public and private institutions accept this as the sole entrance exam for admission to MBBS programs. Candidates will be eligible to take part in the two-way counseling process if they meet the NEET UG cutoff. The Medical Counseling Committee (MCC) conducts the national NEET UG counseling for the 15% All India Quota (AIQ) seats. For the remaining 85% of State Quota seats, counseling is handled by the State Medical Admission Authorities.
Detailed NEET Exam Important Dates -
Here is the description for the above given exams for understanding -
- INI CET 2025: It is a medical entrance exam for PG courses.
- DNB PDCET 2025: Exam for admission to Post Diploma Centralized Entrance Test (PDCET) for DNB courses.
- NEET SS 2024 Exam: Exam for admission to super-specialty medical courses (NEET SS).
- KEA NEET Option Entry 2025: The window for candidates to select preferred colleges and courses in Karnataka’s NEET counselling.
- Provision to Change KEA NEET Option Entry: Candidates can modify their selected options during KEA NEET counselling.
MBBS Subjects
Students who take MBBS courses are prepared for careers in healthcare. There are three stages to MBBS course subjects: pre-clinical, para-clinical, and clinical.
Anatomy, Physiology, and Biochemistry are pre-clinical MBBS courses that teach students about the human body and how it works. Disease processes, drug actions, and the legal aspects of medicine are the main topics of para-clinical MBBS course subjects like pathology, microbiology, pharmacology, and forensic medicine. Clinical MBBS course subjects that allow students to apply their knowledge in real-world, patient-centered settings include Medicine, Surgery, Pediatrics, Obstetrics & Gynecology, and Community Medicine. Check the MBBS subjects in the table below:
MBBS Course Types
MBBS full form stands for Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery. The terms clinical, pre-clinical, and para-clinical in the MBBS course curriculum refer to different phases of medical education. The following table shows the different types of MBBS course types -
Specializations After MBBS Courses
The university aims to provide all MBBS students with a contemporary, growth-oriented education through its MBBS courses. Graduates with a bachelor's degree in medicine or surgery are eligible to work in the medical field. Due to a lack of employment opportunities and a significantly higher number of doctors than there are, there is a high demand for medical professionals across India -
Best Colleges for MBBS Course
Numerous esteemed and leading Indian medical schools and universities provide MBBS programs. When assessing colleges for MBBS courses, it's critical to take into account a variety of sources because rankings can differ depending on a variety of criteria and evaluations. These are a few of India's best universities that offer MBBS programs -
Best MBBS Colleges Based on NIRF Ranking ‘24
The top universities are still among the most prominent medical schools in India, according to the NIRF rankings 2024 for the best MBBS programs in the nation. Candidates can view the top MBBS schools by NIRF Ranking '24' in the table below -
MBBS Course Fees in Government Colleges
In India, there are 89 government medical schools offering MBBS programs. Choosing medical schools becomes even more crucial because MBBS is one of the most difficult programs ever offered in India, and it is highly competitive. Some of the best government medical schools that provide MBBS programs are AIIMS Delhi, King George Medical University, JIPMER, and Madras Medical College. The following table lists some of the best government medical schools that offer MBBS courses, along with the costs of those courses:
MBBS Course Fees in Private Colleges -
In India, there are 138 private medical schools offering MBBS programs. Among the best private medical schools in India that provide MBBS programs are Christian Medical College, Kasturba Medical College, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, and St. John's National Academy of Health Sciences. The table below lists the top private medical schools that offer MBBS courses, along with the costs of those courses -
Top MBBS Colleges Accepting State-wise NEET
NEET scores as the foundation for eligibility in their own counseling process for admission to medical colleges within the state. Students are admitted to numerous other esteemed medical schools in various Indian states via the state-specific NEET exam -
1.UP NEET
Here are some colleges that accept UP NEET scores -
2.Tamil Nadu NEET
Following are some of the colleges that accept NEET as well as Tamil Nadu NEET scores -
3.Gujarat NEET
Following are some of the colleges that accept NEET as well as Gujarat NEET scores -
4.West Bengal NEET
Following are some of the colleges that accept NEET as well as West Bengal NEET scores -
5.Rajasthan NEET
Following are some of the colleges that accept NEET as well as Rajasthan NEET scores -
6. AP NEET
The following are some of the colleges that accept NEET as well as AP NEET scores -
7. Telangana NEET
The following are some colleges that accept Telangana NEET as well as NEET scores -
8. Chattisgarh NEET
The following are some colleges that accept Chattisgarh NEET as well as NEET scores -
9. Odisha NEET
The following are some colleges that accept Odisha NEET as well as NEET scores -
10. Assam NEET
The following are some colleges that accept Assam NEET as well as NEET scores -
MBBS Scholarships
A variety of scholarships are provided, like Central Sector Scholarship Scheme, Dr. Ambedkar Scholarship, and private institutional scholarships, on merit or on financial need.
MBBS Seats
There are about 1 lakh MBBS seats available in India. Government, private, and deemed universities take part in offering MBBS seats, and around 50% are under government quota.
- MBBS Entrance Examination 2025: NEET UG Dates
- NEET UG 2025 Exam Date: May 2025.
- Application Dates: Likely to start in December 2024.
- Results: Tentatively in June 2025.
NEET 2024 Cutoff - Revised vs Original
The NEET UG cutoff changes every year depending upon the number of candidates, difficulty level, and available seats. Revised cutoffs adjust the anomalies of the primary analysis and thus make a more accurate ranking system.
MBBS Subjects
MBBS subjects prepare students for a healthcare career. MBBS course subjects are divided into pre-clinical, para-clinical, and clinical phases.
Pre-clinical MBBS subjects include Anatomy, Physiology, and Biochemistry, where students learn about the human body and its functions. Para-clinical MBBS course subjects, such as Pathology, Microbiology, Pharmacology, and Forensic Medicine, focus on disease processes, drug actions, and legal aspects of medicine. Clinical MBBS course subjects like Medicine, Surgery, Pediatrics, Obstetrics & Gynecology, and Community Medicine allow students to apply their knowledge in practical, patient-centred settings.
- Check the table below for MBBS subjects:
MBBS Course Types
- General MBBS Program: 5.5 years including a compulsory internship.
- Integrated Programs: Include MBBS with specializations or research.
Specializations After MBBS Courses
After MBBS, students can specialize in fields such as:
- Cardiology
- Neurology
- Pediatrics
- Radiology
- Psychiatry
MBBS Compulsory Rotating Internship
In India, a rotational internship is considered an essential component of the MBBS program and can be completed before the degree may be awarded. This internship has an exposure to practice in all possible medical disciplines as a primary provider of healthcare at the community level.
An internship must be completed within two years after clearing the final MBBS/FMGE/NExT examination, wherever applicable.
Interns are paid a monthly stipend, the amount of which is determined by the state medical authority overseeing the respective college. Medical colleges run by the central government generally offer the highest stipends.
MBBS Course Comparison
MBBS vs CA
The difficulty of pursuing MBBS or CA depends on individual strengths and interests. While some may find the scientific and medical rigor of MBBS more challenging, others might struggle with the analytical and financial complexities of CA.
Choosing a career path aligned with one's abilities and passions ensures a more fulfilling and manageable journey.
MBBS vs BDS vs BAMS
Each of these courses caters to different aspects of healthcare:
- MBBS: Offers the broadest scope with diverse specializations in allopathic medicine.
- BDS: Focuses exclusively on dental care.
- BAMS: Centers on Ayurvedic medicine, gaining popularity for its holistic approach.
MBBS vs MD vs DM
- MBBS: Foundational UG degree (5.5 years, including internship).
- MD: Postgraduate degree (3 years) focusing on specialization.
- DM: Doctorate-level super-specialization (3 years) after MD.
MBBS vs MBA
- MBBS: A medical UG degree (5.5 years) leading to careers in healthcare.
- MBA: A PG degree (1–2 years) focusing on business management and leadership.
Best Colleges for MBBS Course
Best Government Colleges for MBBS Course
India boasts 89 government medical colleges offering MBBS programs. Given the highly competitive nature of MBBS, selecting the right medical college is crucial for success.
Prominent institutions such as AIIMS Delhi, King George's Medical University (KGMU), JIPMER, and Madras Medical College are among the best government medical colleges providing MBBS courses.
Some of the top government medical colleges for MBBS aspirants are listed in the table below:
Best Private Colleges for MBBS Course
It houses around 138 medical colleges which include private colleges granting MBBS admissions. Famous in the private campus are the presence of Christian Medical College, Kasturba Medical College, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research and St. John's National Academy of Health Sciences.
Below Table lists the name of a few top medical Private colleges:
