Some of the best MBBS alternative courses in India are BSc Nursing, BAMS, BPT, BUMS, BPharma, BSc Forensic Science, BSc Biotechnology, etc.
The top 7 MBBS alternative courses include BAMS, BPharma, BSc Nursing, BUMS, and BPT, among others. For students who are not willing to take NEET, pursuing alternative courses to MBBS in India is the best option. Moreover, these courses can be opted for by Science stream students who have completed 10+2 with subjects like biology or biotechnology.
List of Top 7 MBBS Alternative Courses
Following is the list of alternative courses to MBBS that candidates can pursue to secure the best career opportunities in the healthcare sector.
- Pharmacy Courses
- Hospital and Healthcare Management Courses
- Alternative Medicine Courses
- Paramedical Courses
- Veterinary and Animal Science Courses
- Biotechnology Courses
- Forensic Science Courses
Pharmacy Courses
Medical aspirants looking for alternative courses to MBBS can pursue Pharmacy courses like B.Pharmacy and D.Pharma. Essentially, these courses are designed to impart fundamental knowledge of drug discovery and manufacturing. Several branches, including pharmacognosy, pharmacology, pharmaceutics, & pharmaceutical chemistry, are covered under the Pharmacy courses. The B.Pharmacy course has a duration of 4 years.
Eligibility Criteria for Pharmacy Courses
Candidates should have completed 10+2 with at least 50% marks in the Science stream. Admissions take place both on a merit basis and with valid entrance exam scores of JEE/BITSAT/NEET.
Top Colleges Offering Pharmacy Courses in India
The table below provides the list of top colleges that offer Pharmacy courses in India.
| College | Average Program Fees (INR) |
| Panjab University | INR 29,400 |
| Jamia Hamdard University, Delhi | INR 90,000 |
| Parul University, Vadodara | INR 1,81,000 |
| NIPER Hyderabad | INR 90,500 |
| Lovely Professional University, Punjab | INR 1,92,000 |
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Hospital and Healthcare Management Courses
Another alternative MBBS course branch is Hospital and Healthcare Management. Under this branch, candidates can pursue alternative courses to MBBS, like the Bachelor of Hospital Management & BBA Hospital Management.
The average duration of Hospital and Healthcare Management courses is three years. Through these programs, students typically learn how to manage various healthcare organisations like hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, etc.
Eligibility Criteria for Hospital and Healthcare Management Courses
The basic eligibility criteria are completion of class 12th with at least 50% marks from any stream with English as a mandatory subject.
Top Colleges Offering Hospital and Healthcare Management Courses in India
Interested students can view the list of top hospital & healthcare management colleges below.
| College | Average Program Fees (INR) |
| EIILM Kolkata | INR 3,25,000 |
| IMED Pune | INR 1,50,000 |
| MGM Institute of Management, Aurangabad | INR 1,00,000 |
| Jagannath University, Jaipur | INR 79,000 |
| Lovely Professional University, Punjab | INR 1,12,000 |
Read More: Hospital Management Courses
Alternative Medicine Courses
This medicine branch deals with the study of alternative medicine systems. BAMS is an MBBS alternative medicine course with a duration of 4.5 years. At the same time, other alternative courses to MBBS in this area, like BHMS, BUMS, and BNYS, last for 5.5 years.
Eligibility Criteria for Alternative Medicine Courses
The eligibility requirement is that the aspiring candidates should have passed 10+2 with subjects such as Physics, Biology, and Chemistry. A valid NEET score is also mandatory for admission to these programs.
Top Colleges Offering Alternative Medicine Courses in India
Here are some of the best colleges that students can consider for pursuing alternative medicine courses.
| College | Average Program Fees (INR) |
| Excel Group of Institutions, Namakkal | INR 1,50,000 |
| Santhigiri Ayurveda & Siddha Vaidyasala, Palakkad | INR 1,99,415 |
| Santhigiri Siddha Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram | INR 1,89,000 |
| OPJS University, Churu | INR 82,000 |
| National Institute of Siddha, Chennai | INR 53,475 |
| ATSVS Siddha Medical College, Kanyakumari | INR 3,00,000 |
Paramedical Courses
The next ideal option in the list of MBBS alternative courses is opting for paramedical courses. These 3-4 year duration courses help students learn supporting medical work and provide a wide array of career options. The top courses available involve - BSc Nursing, BSc MLT, B.Optometry, BPT, BSc Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, & BSc Nuclear Medicine Technology.
Eligibility Criteria for Paramedical Courses
Applicants need to have cleared 12th standard with Biology, Physics, & Chemistry subjects to meet the eligibility. Moreover, the aggregate marks obtained should be at least 50%. Further, for a few courses like nursing & physiotherapy, admission is done based on NEET scores.
Top Colleges Offering Paramedical Courses in India
Paramedical courses are quite cost-effective when compared to other alternative courses for MBBS. Students can find below the list of the prominent institutes offering paramedical programs in India.
| College | Average Program Fees (INR) |
| AIIMS Delhi | INR 1,685 |
| CMC Vellore | INR 23,855 |
| Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi | INR 2,381 |
| PGIMER Chandigarh | INR 2,970 |
| SGPGI Lucknow | INR 79,800 |
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Veterinary and Animal Science Courses
BVSc AH is a popular course among the MBBS alternative courses that has a duration of 5.5 years. It is a veterinary and animal science course that majorly focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of animal species. A number of job roles, like veterinary officers, veterinary doctors, veterinary surgeons, etc., are available after the completion of this course.
Eligibility Criteria for Veterinary and Animal Science Courses
It is required to pass the 12th class with at least 50% marks. Moreover, the subjects required in 10+2 are Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. Candidates also need to crack entrance tests like NEET, OUAT, and AAU VET to gain admission into these programs.
Top Colleges Offering Veterinary and Animal Science Courses in India
The table below displays the list of renowned veterinary & animal science universities in India.
| College | Average Program Fees (INR) |
| Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh | INR 32,265 |
| GBPUAT Pantnagar | INR 49,108 |
| Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly | INR 15,550 |
| National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal | INR 17,800 |
| Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi | INR 6,720 |
Read More: Veterinary Courses
Biotechnology Courses
The field of Biotechnology involves the utilisation of technology for studying life processes. The popular alternative courses to MBBS in Biotechnology are BSc Biotechnology and BSc Applied Biotechnology. This field offers a plethora of career options in sectors like food, medicine, agriculture, and healthcare.
Eligibility Criteria for Veterinary and Animal Science Courses
Both merit and entrance exam-based admissions take place. Science stream students can get admitted to UG biotechnology programs if they have cleared 10+2 with 50% marks. Moreover, some universities require valid scores on entrance tests like NPAT, SAT, CUET, CUET, etc.
Top Colleges Offering Biotechnology Courses in India
Candidates must refer to the following table to know the popular colleges that offer Biotechnology courses.
| College | Average Program Fees (INR) |
| Loyola College, Chennai | INR 46,100 |
| MIT-WPU, Pune | INR 1,00,000 |
| Fergusson College, Pune | INR 11,135 |
| St. Xavier's College, Mumbai | INR 1,68,000 |
| Parul University, Vadodara | INR 1,02,300 |
Read More: Biotechnology Courses
Forensic Science Courses
In the forensic science field, one of the best MBBS alternative courses is a BSc in forensic science. This alternative MBBS course involves a duration of 3 years.
The branch of forensic science involves scientific study related to crime investigation. Pursuing forensic science courses opens doors to a diverse range of career opportunities. Students can avail of jobs in police departments, research laboratories, investigation firms, etc.
Eligibility Criteria for Forensic Science Courses
Completion of class 12th in the science stream is the main eligibility prerequisite. Besides merit, admissions are also done depending on the scores of entrance tests like KCET, SAAT, DUET, etc.
Top Colleges Offering Forensic Science Courses in India
Here are a few of the well-known colleges that provide forensic science courses in India.
| College | Average Program Fees (INR) |
| BK Birla College, Thane | INR 3,000 |
| SGTB Khalsa College, Delhi | INR 33,085 |
| Kristu Jayanti College, Bengaluru | INR 80,000 |
| St. Xavier's College Mumbai | INR 15,000 |
| Parul University, Vadodara | INR 1,02,300 |
Read More: Forensic Science Courses
