BSc Nursing Career in India 2025: Nursing is one of the oldest professions of the world. It is continuously being remodelled through the ages and still needs time to time modification to cope with the new era of science and globalisation. The profession is central to the health care delivery system. So, time to time reanalysis and restructuring of the curriculum is necessary not only for the profession but for the equilibrium of the health care ecosystem.
In India, the first school of nursing was started with a six-month diploma programme for midwives at the Government General Hospital, Madras, with four students in 1871. From that six-month course to today’s full-fledged different categories of courses, nursing has come a long way. In 1947, under section 3, the Indian Nursing Council was founded which is a national regulatory body for nurses and nursing education in India. Presently in India, the following nursing programmes exist: Auxiliary Nurse Midwifery, General Nursing and Midwifery, BSc (N), MSc (N), MPhil and PhD (N). The last curriculum revision for ANM was done in 2012-13, for GNM in 2015-16, for BSc in 2006, for PBBSc in 2006 and for MSc in 2008. Presently; again on July 5, 2021, the BSc Nursing Curriculum in India got a major revamp. The new curriculum shifted to a credit based system from the traditional marking system, which has been implemented from Jan 1, 2022.
On the other hand, the Govt. of India approved the National Education Policy of India 2020 (NEP 2020) on July 29, 2020, which is going to be implemented from July, 2022. The policy was introduced with a vision to making India a global superpower. The policy restructures the present 10+2 school education to 5+3+ 3+4 covering ages 3 to 18. Some of the major highlights of NEP 2020 which are also related to the nursing curriculum are: schooling will start from age 3; no rigid boundary between Science, Commerce and Arts streams; establishment of bank credit system; healthcare education system must be integrative, meaning all students of allopathic medical education must have a basic understanding of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy (AYUSH), and vice versa, etc.
New nursing curriculum for BSc Nursing carries major changes like introduction of a credit based semester system on acquiring competency in each area. Skill lab and simu-practice are mandatory in the practicum which will increase student competency. Moreover, medical ethics and forensic nursing has been introduced in the programme. Another aim of the curriculum is to prepare the graduate nurses as Middle-Levd Healthcare Providers (MLHP), who run the wellness centres. Presently to become a Middle-Level Healthcare Provider (MLHP), a graduate nurse needs to undergo another 6 month course which the new curriculum dismisses.
BSc Nursing Career in India 2025
New BSc nursing curriculum is very much complementary to the New Education Policy 2020 of India, NEP 2020 has also shifted its traditional marking system to a national credit based system, which is also the core of the new nursing curriculum. The credit system will help in the measurement of course equivalency in the global platform Course equivalency is the term used in higher education describing how a course offered by one college or university relates to a course offered by another. One of the fundamentals of NEP 2020 is the extensive use of technology in teaching and learning, and the vision is to make India a global knowledge superpower. The new curriculum is also giving more emphasis on developing competency among students by improving skills through simulation labyskill lab. A maximum of 13 percent (400-450 hours) from the clinical hours can be used in simulation lab/skill lab for skill lab/simulation learning and should not exceed 30 percent of the total hours. Moreover, as the curriculum is also geared to produce new graduates as Middle-Level Healthcare Providers (MLHP); which brings flexibility to the learners who will then have the ability to choose their own paths in life according to their talents and interests is also a major focal point of NEP 2020, Introduction of forensic nursing and medical ethics will bring more opportunities to these graduates and help them to be more adaptable to global needs. The new curriculum will, thus, be very beneficial for the graduate nurses in terms of improving skill, competency and adapting to the changing needs of the global ecosystem; it also has a parallel synchronicity with NEP 2020 which will make it more effective.
BSc Nursing Course, Eligibility and Admission 2025
Nursing offers various courses at the certificate, diploma, and graduate levels. The educational qualifications required vary based on the specific course you choose. Since you are currently in Class XII (Science), it is recommended that you pursue a BSc degree for better career opportunities. The degree programme spans four years and provides comprehensive knowledge and training in the field of nursing, healthcare, and patient care management. The basic eligibility criteria for enrolling in a BSc nursing programme typically includes: Completion of 10+2 with science subjects (Physics, Chemistry, and Biology from a recognised board.
Admission criteria for nursing colleges can vary widely depending on the institution. In general, private nursing colleges may have different admission standards compared to government or public colleges. In some cases, private colleges might be considered easier to get into due to various factors such as:
- Higher number of seats: Private colleges often have more seats available, which can increase the chances of admission.
- Less competition: There might be less competition for private colleges as they usually have higher tuition fees, which can deter some applicants.
- Different selection criteria: Private institutions may have their own selection criteria, which could be more favourable to certain applicants compared to the often more stringent criteria of government colleges.
However, it’s important to note that easier does not necessarily mean “better. Government nursing colleges in India are often highly regarded for their quality of education and affordability. They can be competitive to get in due to their reputation and lower fees.
If you are considering private nursing colleges in India, here are a few you might look into
- CMC Vellore College of Nursing-Vellore, Tamil Nadu
- Manipal College of Nursing-Manipal, Karnataka
- Apollo College of Nursing-Chennai, Tamil Nadu
- Symbiosis College of Nursing-Pune, Maharashtra
- Amrita College of Nursing-Kochi, Kerala