Top 20 Medical Colleges In India For Study

Medical colleges in India allow students who have just completed their 12th standard academic course in the science stream to apply for further studies in medicine at various colleges and universities anywhere in the country.

There are a lot of popular and reputed medical colleges in India that many students want to study at and attain a degree, so as to become professional practitioners in the field of medicine.

What Medical Degrees are Awarded to Candidates?

After the completion of the undergraduate (UG), post-graduate (PG), or super-specialty (SS) course, the respective medical degree is awarded to the candidates. In order to obtain a medical degree from the institution, it is mandatory that candidates must complete their training or internship for a specified period of time. Candidates awarded with a medical degree must be registered with the National Medical Commission (NMC) to practice as a doctor or for pursuing higher education.

There are several types of medical degrees awarded based on the level of education that is pursued by candidates. After qualifying for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET)-UG entrance exam, candidates who successfully complete the UG program are awarded the degree as per the selection of their course, which includes:

• Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) 

• Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) 

• Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) 

• Bachelor of Unani Medicine and Surgery (BUMS) 

• Bachelor of Homeopathy Medicine and Surgery (BHMS) 

• Bachelor of Siddha Medicine and Surgery (BSMS) 

• Bachelor of Yoga and Naturopathy Sciences (BYNS) 

• Bachelor of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry (BVSc-AH) 

When a UG degree is completed, the candidates can either choose to go for higher studies or practice medicine in various sectors. If the students want to pursue PG medical courses, then the aspirants need to qualify for PG entrance tests such as NEET PG, INI CET, and NEET MDS. After completing PG medical courses, candidates are awarded degrees, such as Doctor of Medicine (MD), Master of Surgery (MS), PG Diploma, and Diplomate of National Board (DNB). After completing PG courses, aspirants can pursue a super specialty (SS) degree after which they get admission to Doctorate of Medicine (DM) and Master of Chirurgiae (M.Ch).

Going forth, we shall take a look at a couple of top medical colleges in India where one can apply for admission to study, be awarded a degree, and practice medicine at these institutes or elsewhere. The following medical institutions are ranked by the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) as of 2021, under the Ministry of Education, Government of India.

List of 20 Best Medical Colleges in India for Students Aspiring Graduation and Post-Graduation Studies

Below is a non-exhaustive list of the twenty best private and government-owned medical colleges in India. Here, students can apply for admission to study medicine and science, get a degree and thus, be able to find jobs or careers and achieve their goals and dreams that help fulfill their lives.

Along with the names of the popular medical institutions in India, we have also included their official websites, where you can find details and updates about admission eligibility and date, cut-off percentage, examination date, fees, courses, degrees, placements, etc., that are beyond the scope of this article.

1. All India Institute of Medical Sciences-(AIIMS)

City: New Delhi

Website: https://www.aiims.edu/

AIIMS is one of the most popular government-owned medical colleges in India and is located in the capital city of New Delhi. It was constituted as an Institution of National Importance by an Act of Parliament in the year 1956, and it later became a well-known medical college, research university, and hospital that is an aspiration for many students.

The institution offers various UG, PG, and doctoral courses in medicine and allied sciences, sciences, pharmacy, nursing, arts, humanities, social sciences, and many other fields. AIIMS was the first to perform cardiac transplants in 1994.

AIIMS also has branches located in a few cities, which are AIIMS Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh), AIIMS Bhubaneshwar (Odisha), AIIMS Jodhpur (Rajasthan), AIIMS Kalyani (West Bengal), AIIMS Patna (Bihar), AIIMS Raipur (Chhattisgarh) and AIIMS Rishikesh (Uttarakhand), respectively.

2. Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research-(PGIMER)

City: Chandigarh

Website: https://pgimer.edu.in/

PGIMER, which stands for Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, is another popular medical college in India. This government-owned institute was founded in the year 1962, and it provides educational, medical research, and training facilities including all specialties, super specialties, and sub-specialties to post-graduate students only.

They provide training in almost all the disciplines of Medicine, including post-graduate and post-doctoral degrees, diplomas, and fellowships. There are more than 50 such training courses offered to students by the institute.

3. Christian Medical College-(CMC)

City: Vellore

Website: https://www.cmch-vellore.edu/

Christian Medical College is not just a medical college, but a research institute and hospital, one of the oldest in India as well. The privately-owned institute was founded in 1900 in the state of Tamil Nadu and is affiliated with the Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R. Medical University.

CMC has been a pioneer in many things, such as opening the first College for Nursing in India in 1946. It is also one of the first institutes in the world to perform reconstructive surgery to treat leprosy, open heart surgery, kidney transplant, and bone marrow transplant.

4. National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences-(NIMHANS)

City: Bengaluru

Website: https://nimhans.ac.in/

NIMHANS (National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences) is one of the best medical colleges in India for mental health and neurosciences. It was first opened in the country as a lunatic asylum in the year 1847 and in 1925, it was converted into a mental hospital to treat mentally ill patients. The institute was later established as NIMHANS in 1974 and has since been operating as an Institute of National Importance (INI) by an Act of Parliament.

The institute offers various courses and fellowships to students, a few of which include Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in a wide array of fields, super specialty medicine courses (DM and M.Ch), post-graduate degree/fellowship (MD, M.Phil, M.Sc), and post-doctoral fellowship in plenty of fields.

5. Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences-(SGPGIMS)

City: Lucknow

Website: https://sgpgims.org.in/

SGPGIMS (Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences) is a government-owned institute and hospital affiliated with the Medical Council of India (MCI) and the Association of Indian Universities (AIU). The institute was founded in 1983 in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, under the State Legislature Act.

The institute offers various degree courses, such as MD, DM, M.Ch, Ph.D., nursing (B.Sc), paramedical, etc. to students. Additionally, it also has tertiary medical care, super speciality teaching, training and research facilities, and post-doctoral courses and fellowships. The institute also has a Telemedicine unit as part of the School of Tele-Medicine and Biomedical Informatics.

6. Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham-(AVV)

City: Coimbatore

Website: https://amrita.edu/

AVV (Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham) is a privately-owned medical college that is affiliated with University Grants Commission (UGC) and the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). It was founded in 1994 in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. AVV also has schools in different states, which include Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu.

The institute offers various courses for undergraduate, post-graduate, integrated-degree, dual-degree, and doctoral programs in engineering and technology, medicine, business, arts and culture, sciences, biotechnology, agricultural sciences, pharmacy, nursing, allied health sciences, Ayurveda, dentistry, nano-sciences, commerce, humanities and social sciences, law, literature, spiritual studies, philosophy, sustainable development, mass communication, and social work.

7. Banaras Hindu University-(BHU)

City: Varanasi

Website: https://www.bhu.ac.in/

BHU (Banaras Hindu University), which used to be called the Central Hindu College, is a medical college and research university in India that is affiliated with the Association of India Universities (AIU), University Grants Commission (UGC), and Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), respectively. The institute was founded in 1916 in Varanasi (formerly Banaras), Uttar Pradesh. In Asia, BHU is also the largest residential university.

The institute consists of 6 academy categories in the fields of technology, science, agriculture, medical sciences, environment and sustainable development, and management studies. In addition to this, BHU offers a total of 14 streams (faculties) including arts, performing arts, visual arts, commerce, law, social sciences, linguistics, etc. There are more than a hundred departments provided by the institution to both national and international students that enroll here.

8. Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research-(JIPMER)

City: Puducherry

Website: https://jipmer.edu.in/

JIPMER (Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research) is a government-owned medical college and hospital and is constituted as an Institution of National Importance (INI) by a Parliament Act. The institute was founded in 1823 during the French colonial rule and was called Ecole de Medicine de Pondichery. The Government of India changed its name to Medical College in 1956 and changed again in 1964 in honor of India’s first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. It is located in Pondicherry, the capital city of the Union Territory of Puducherry.

The institution was affiliated with Pondicherry University, but now awards candidates its own degrees. JIPMER offers MBBS, Ph.D., super speciality, nursing, paramedical and other courses to undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral students. The institute also has a Telemedicine unit. Admissions to all the courses are based on NEET.

9. King George’s Medical University-(KGMU)

City: Lucknow

Website: https://www.kgmu.org/

KGMU (King George’s Medical University) is a government-owned medical school, medical university, and hospital that is affiliated with the University Grants Commission (UGC), National Medical Commission (NMC), and Dental Council of India (DCI), respectively. The institute was founded in 1905 by King George V, the Prince of Wales, but it was finally opened in 1912. It is situated in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.

The institute offers MBBS, Ph.D., super speciality, dental, nursing, paramedical and other courses to undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral students. The university has a total number of 14 affiliated medical colleges, seven nursing colleges, and one paramedical college also.

10. Kasturba Medical College-(KMC)

City: Manipal

Website: https://manipal.edu/kmc-manipal.html

KMC (Kasturba Medical College) is a partially private and government-owned medical college and hospital, which is often called KMC Manipal after the separation from KMC Mangalore, as they were once established as a single institution in 1953. The institute is also no longer affiliated with other universities since 1993. It provides its own degrees to students who learn and train at the institution. The institute is located in Manipal, Karnataka, and within the campus of Manipal Academy of Higher Education.

KMC Manipal offers courses in MBBS, MDS, MS, DM, MD, M.Ch, super specialties, nursing, and fellowships to undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral students. The Admission is based on the ‘All India Rank’ obtained in NEET (UG), which is conducted by NTA. Admissions to postgraduate and super speciality courses are based on the rank obtained in NEET (PG) and NEET (SS) respectively. Admissions to nursing, physiotherapy, psychology and other allied health courses are based on the score obtained on the Manipal Entrance Test.

11. Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology-(SCTIMST)

City: Thiruvananthapuram (formerly Trivandrum)

Website: https://www.sctimst.ac.in/

SCTIMST (Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology) is a well-known government-owned medical college and hospital that was founded in 1976 in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala. SCTIMST was declared an Institute of National Importance under the Department of Science and Technology by an Act of Parliament in 1980.

The institute promotes research and development in biomedical engineering and technology. It delivers high-quality patient care in select specialties and sub-specialties and develops innovative postgraduate training programs in advanced medical specialties and biomedical engineering and technology.

SCTIMST offers Diploma, PG Diploma, Ph.D/Masters, super speciality, and Post-doctoral courses to students in various fields, while also offering advanced certificate courses and joint programs with other institutions in Clinical Engineering and Biomedical Devices and Technology.

12. Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences-(ILBS)

City: New Delhi

Website: https://www.ilbs.in/

ILBS (Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences) is a deemed university and a mono-super speciality hospital, and a popular medical college in India. The institute was opened in 2010 in the country’s capital city, New Delhi as an autonomous institute and declared a training hospital by the University Grants Commission (UGC).

The Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences is renowned worldwide as the center for the management and diagnosis of the liver, pancreas, and biliary tract diseases. ILBS also provides advanced training and research for Hepatobiliary diseases. Additionally, ILBS is specialized in the fields of nephrology, oncology, urology, radiology, cardiology, HPB surgery, laboratory medicine, pulmonary medicine, rental transplant services, and other health and critical care services.

ILBS offers post-doctoral and super speciality programs and certificate courses (diplomas) to students and is affiliated with the Medical Council of India (MCI). There is also a provision of several short-term training programs and observer-ship programs for training the faculty and students of other institutes.

13. St. John’s National Academy of Health Sciences-(SJNAHS)

City: Bengaluru

Website: https://stjohns.in/

SJNAHS (St. John’s National Academy of Health Sciences), often also known as St. John’s Medical College Hospital, is a privately-owned medical college, nursing college, research institute, and super speciality hospital in India. The institute was founded by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) in 1963 in Bengaluru, Karnataka.

The Allied Health Science Courses at the university, are run as a wing of St. John’s Medical College and make use of the infrastructure and the teaching faculty of the medical college. Other courses offered to students include UG (B.Sc., BPT) courses, PG (M.Sc. MLT, MPT, MHA, DHA) degree courses, and hospital administration courses that are affiliated with the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS). The institute offers UG degree courses for B.Sc. in Medical Laboratory Technology (DMLT), Medical Imaging Technology, Renal Dialysis Technology, and Cardiac Perfusion Technology.

14. Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research-(SRIHER)

City: Chennai

Website: https://www.sriramachandra.edu.in/

SRIHER (Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research) is a privately-owned medical college, deemed university, research institute, and faculty. The institute was founded in 1985 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

SRIHER consists of many faculties, a few of which are nursing, pharmacy, dental sciences, physiotherapy, clinical research, biomedical sciences and technology, engineering and technology, management sciences, sports and exercises sciences, public health, and allied health sciences.

The institute offers a four-and-a-half year MBBS. course with a one-year compulsory rotating internship and admission is granted through the NEET UG examination. SRIHER offers postgraduate courses in the fields of surgery, medicine, gynecology, and more. The institute also offers Doctoral courses in the fields of M.Ch, neurosurgery, surgical oncology, and cardiac surgery among others, and DM in cardiology, neurology, etc.

15. Aligarh Muslim University-(AMU)

City: Aligarh

Website: https://www.amu.ac.in/

AMU (Aligarh Muslim University) is a government-owned university that was founded in 1875 in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh. The institute consists of various faculties, like medicine, science, Unani medicine, life sciences, management studies and research, theology, engineering and technology, commerce, law, arts, social sciences, agricultural sciences, and international studies. AMU is affiliated with UGC, AIU, and National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC).

The institute offers UG, PG, and Doctoral courses to students and admission is based on an entrance test. AMU also maintains at least seven colleges, including a women’s-only college, and has established a few centers in Kerala, Bihar, West Bengal, and Maharashtra.

16. Madras Medical College-(MMC)

City: Chennai

Website: http://www.mmc.ac.in/

MMC (Madras Medical College) is a government-owned medical college and hospital and one of the oldest in India. The institute was founded in 1835 in Madras (now called Chennai) in the state of Tamil Nadu. It is also affiliated with the Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R. Medical University.

However, the name of the hospital was changed to Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital in 2011. Today, there are about 11 institutions that are attached to the Madras Medical College, and all these institutions are located in the city of Chennai.

17. Maulana Azad Medical College-(MAMC)

City: New Delhi

Website: https://www.mamc.ac.in/

MAMC (Maulana Azad Medical College) is a government-owned medical college and super speciality hospital that is affiliated with the University of Delhi. The institute was founded in 1956 in New Delhi, and it currently consists of a total of 4 hospitals within its college campus. These hospitals are the Lok Nayak Jay Prakash Hospital, GB Pant Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research, Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences, and Guru Nanak Eye Centre, respectively.

MAMC offers courses to UG (MBBS, BDS, MD, MS), PG (M.Ch, DM), super specialties, and post-doctoral (pediatric surgery, GI surgery, neonatology, cardiology, etc.) students at their institute. Degrees in nursing and pharmacy are also offered here.

18. Vardhman Mahavir Medical College-(VMMC)

City: New Delhi

Website: http://www.vmmc-sjh.nic.in/

VMMC (Vardhman Mahavir Medical College) is a government-owned medical college and hospital that is affiliated with the Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University. It was founded in 2002 in New Delhi. Due to its attachment with the popular Safdarjung Hospital, the institute is often, also called the Vardhman Mahavir Medical College & Safdarjung Hospital.

VMMC offers courses to UG (MBBS) and PG (MD, MS, DM, M.CH, DNB) students.

19. Dr. D.Y. Patil Vidyapeeth-(DPU)

City: Pune

Website: https://dpu.edu.in/

DPU (Dr. D.Y. Patil Vidyapeeth) is a privately-owned medical college, hospital, and research center deemed to be a university founded in 2003 in Pune, Maharashtra. The institution was founded by the Indian politician, Danyandeo Yashwantrao Patil (D.Y. Patil) who also served as the Governor of three states i.e., Tripura, Bihar, and West Bengal, and is now a member of the Nationalist Congress Party since 2018. There are over a dozen educational institutions founded in his name in the country.

Admission is done via entrance tests for UG and PG programs, including MBA, BBA, B.Tech, B.Tech (Medical), M.Tech (Integrated), Biotechnology, B.Tech (Artificial Intelligence and Data Science), M.Sc. Biotechnology, BPT, MPT, B.Sc Nursing, P.B.B.Sc. Nursing, M.Sc. Nursing, B. Optometry, and M. Optometry, respectively.

20. SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Centre-(SRMIST)

City: Potheri

Website: https://www.srmist.edu.in/

Website of Medical College: https://www.srmist.edu.in/medical-college-hospital-research-centre/

SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Centre is a division of the SRM Institute of Science and Technology (SRMIST). It was founded in 2005 in Potheri, Tamil Nadu. The institute is recognized by MCI and NAAC and awards its own degree (SRMIST) to students. Admission is based on NEET-UG, NEET-PG, and NEET-SS examinations.

SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Centre offer UG (MBBS), PG (DM, MS, MD, M.Ch), and super speciality courses to students. The institute consists of various departments, including non-clinical (pre and para-clinical), clinical (OPDs and wards), super-speciality (diagnostic and treatment facilities), medical education department, and medical simulation, respectively.

SRMIST has also opened its SRM University branches in Delhi NCR, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim, and Chennai.

Conclusion

Often, finding the best medical college in India can be quite difficult and confusing for most students. The above-mentioned list could possibly help you make decisions easily if you’re looking for one to get enrolled and aspire to your dreams and goals as a professional medical practitioner.