Degree Course Type
Bachelors, Masters, Diploma, Certificate
Entry Level Qualification
Class 10+2
Degree Course Entrance Exam
AIIMS MSC, AIIMS BSC
Course Details
Psychiatry is a large and highly demanded medical field of study; therefore aspirants can discover a variety of different psychiatry courses to study in India at various levels. Some of these courses/programmes are listed below:
Programme/Study Level | Popular Psychiatry Courses |
Certificate | - Certification in Psychiatry
- Certificate in Mental Health
- Certificate Course in Perinatal Mental Health
- Psychological First Aid
- Positive Psychiatry and Mental Health
- Abnormal Psychology
- Introduction to Psychology
- History of Mental Illness
|
Diploma | - Diploma in Psychiatry/Psychology
- Post Graduate Diploma in Psychiatry/Psychology
- Diploma in Clinical Psychiatry
- Diploma in Child Psychiatry
- Diploma in Adult Psychiatry
- Diploma in Psychiatric Medicine
- Diploma in Psychiatric Nursing
- Post Graduate Diploma in Community Based Rehabilitation
- Post Graduate Diploma in Psychiatric Social Work
|
Undergraduate | - BSc in Psychiatry
- BSc in Psychology
- BSc in Psychiatric Nursing
- MBBS
|
PG Diploma | - MSc in Psychiatry
- MSc in Psychology
- MD in Psychiatry
- MPhil in Psychiatry
- MPhil in Psychology
- MSc in Clinical & Community Psychiatry
- MSc in Psychiatric Nursing
- MSc in Counselling Psychology
- Master in Criminology
- Master of Brain and Sciences
- MSc in Addiction Psychiatry
- MSc in Behavioural Science
|
Postgraduate | - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Psychiatry
- PhD in Clinical Psychology
- PhD in Psychiatric Nursing
- PhD in Psychiatric Social Work
- PhD in Counselling Psychology
- PhD in Addiction Psychiatry
- PhD in Child Psychiatry
- PhD in Human Behaviour Psychiatry
|
Course Highlights
Some of the important highlights of psychiatry courses in India for applicants to consider are as follows:
Particulars | Details |
Course | Psychiatry |
Degree Level | Certificate, Diploma, Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctorate |
Duration | Certificate: 3-12 months UG Diplomas and PG Diplomas: 1-2 years Bachelor’s: 3-4 years Master’s: 2 years Doctorate (PhD): 3-4 years |
Exam Type | Semester-based |
Minimum Qualification Requirement | Diploma/UG: Class 12 from a recognized board with Psychology as a mandatory subject PG Diploma/PG: Bachelor’s course from a recognized university in a relevant field of study. Doctorate: Master’s course from a recognized university in a relevant field of study. |
Average Salary | INR 3-18 lakh per year |
Average Fees Incurred | INR 10,000-INR 25,00,000 |
Selection Process | Entrance + Merit-based |
Popular Entrance Exams | NEET, AIIMS, NEET PG, AIIMS PG, JMIEE, AMUEE, the University of Delhi Entrance Exam, etc. |
Top Psychiatry Specialisation | Addiction Psychiatry, Forensic Psychiatry, Adult Psychiatry, Child Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine, Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry, Emergency Psychiatry, Neuropsychiatry, Geriatric Psychiatry |
Minimum Aggregate Percentage Required for Admission | 50%-60% |
Top Recruiters | Wellness Centres, Government and Private Hospitals, Government and Private Clinics, Universities and Institutes, etc |
Career Prospects | Forensic Psychiatrist, Clinical Psychiatrist, Staff Psychiatrist, Child Psychiatrist, Addiction Psychiatrist, Neuropsychiatrist, etc. |
About Course
Psychiatry is an exciting and vital branch of medicine owing to its nature of science. Psychiatry courses deal with identifying and treating mental illnesses with the help of in-depth psychiatric knowledge. Studying this course would enable students to assist people working in disciplines related to psychiatry or themselves to treat psychiatric illnesses frequently. Psychiatry, in other words, is the medical speciality concerned with the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of mental diseases. Psychiatry courses are appropriate for medical and other health aspirants who want to get an in-depth understanding of contemporary psychiatry practices. There are various psychiatry courses available at different study levels, such as certificate, diploma, undergraduate, postgraduate and doctorate courses. Thus, applicants can pursue these courses immediately after finishing their class 12 or after completing their bachelor’s studies. Depending on the type of course, the average duration to complete these courses is three months to four years. Admission to a psychiatry programme is based on candidates' class 12th/bachelor's/master's results.
Why Choose Course And Required Skills
Mental sickness may be equally debilitating as physical disease, if not more so. As medical students, candidates learn about medical specialities and get to experience them all during rotations. Owing to its emphasis on mental health, psychiatry is a subspecialty of medicine. There is now a nationwide scarcity of psychiatrists around the world and the demand is high.
Aside from a thriving job market, medical students on the verge of deciding their fields and applying for a residency should consider psychiatry for a variety of reasons, including its incredible flexibility, sense of reward, ability to become more empathetic, and overall usefulness in a fast-paced world.
Let us look at some of the most essential reasons to study psychiatry in this day and age:
1. Ability to Help People/Patients: The ability to impact people's mental health and well-being is one incentive to consider studying psychiatry and becoming a psychiatrist. Psychiatrists can assist their patients in overcoming trauma, destructive behaviours, or mental diseases that may impair their capacity to function successfully in society.
2. Higher Earning Potential: Another reason to consider taking psychiatry courses is the possible income opportunities. Private practitioners can determine their charges and typically make a decent livelihood.
3. An Exciting Field of Study: Students studying to become psychiatrists learn about the many mental, behavioural, and emotional illnesses that might impact their patients. They learn to identify and treat these diseases, as well as attempt to enhance patient functionality and health whenever possible. Psychiatry may be a very intriguing profession for people who are interested in the human brain and mental diseases.
4. Graduates Can Set Up Their Practice: Psychiatry courses graduates may opt to start their practices. This allows them to create their schedules, choose which patients to visit, and work anywhere they choose. The independence and flexibility of owning a firm might be compelling reasons to become a doctor.
Eligibility
Psychiatry courses at different levels of study have varying eligibility criteria for admission.
The table below highlights the general admission or eligibility criteria for aspirants to study psychiatry courses in India:
Programme/Study Level | Basic Eligibility Criteria |
Certificate | Candidates must have passed (or must be studying in) class 12 from a recognised board. |
Diploma | Students must have cleared class 12 from a recognised school board, with at least 50%-60% aggregate marks. |
Undergraduate | Students must score at least 50-60% aggregate in class 12 board exams and sit for an entrance exam as well. |
PG Diploma | Students must have a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field of study from a recognised university. |
Postgraduate | Students must have a bachelor’s degree in psychiatry or any other relevant field of study from a recognised university with at least 50%-60% aggregate marks and entrance exam qualifying scores. |
Doctorate/PhD | Students must have a master’s degree in psychiatry or any other relevant field of study from a recognised university with at least 60% aggregate marks and entrance exam qualifying scores. Practical experience may be required. |
Entrance Exams Details
One of the key admission or eligibility requirements for candidates to pursue psychiatry courses (particularly postgraduate degrees) in India is passing entrance examinations with minimal qualifying grades.
Here are a few well-known psychiatry entrance exams used by leading universities and institutes to screen qualified/eligible students for their programmes:
1. Aligarh Muslim University Entrance Exam
2. All India Institute of Medical Sciences Entrance Exam
3. All India Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (AIIPMR) Entrance Exam
4. Central Institute of Psychiatry Entrance Exam
5. Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore
6. Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences (IHBAS) Entrance Exam
7. Institute of Medical Sciences Entrance Exam
8. Jamia Millia Islamia Entrance Exam
9. Karnataka University Entrance Exam
10. Maharashtra University of Health Sciences Entrance Exam
11. Manipal Academy of Higher Education Entrance Exam
12. National Council of Educational Research and Training Entrance Exam
13. National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences Entrance Exam
14. Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences Entrance Exam
15. Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) Entrance Exam
16. The Central Institute of Psychiatry (CIP) Entrance Exam
17. The Indian Institute of Technology - Joint Entrance Exam (IIT-JEE)
18. University of Delhi Entrance Exam
19. University of Rajasthan Entrance Exam
Degree Course Syllabus
Psychiatric courses in India have different course curriculums based on the degree, level of study, university, and other criteria.
The following are the key subjects that applicants will study while studying psychiatry courses in India:
Clinical Psychiatry | Physiology | Child Psychiatry | Community Psychiatry |
Basic Sciences as applied to Psychiatry | Human Anatomy | Biochemistry of the Brain | Neurology and Neurosurgery |
Approaching to Psychiatric Diagnosis and Classification | Social Psychiatry | Forensic Psychiatry | Preventive Psychiatry |
Behavioral Therapies | Anxiety Disorders | Psychotherapy | Organic Delusional, Mood and Personality Disorders |
Psychology | Preventive Psychiatry and practical training at a mental asylum | General Psychiatry | Psychiatry specialities including psychosomatic medicines and consultations |
Top Colleges
Popular Colleges in India for Psychiatry Courses
Some of the most renowned colleges in India that are offering psychiatry courses to aspirants are tabulated below:
Name of the College/Institute | Location |
Bharti Vidyapeeth Deemed University Medical College | Pune |
Aryabhatta Knowledge University | Patna |
Osmania Medical College | Hyderabad |
Jamia Hamdard University | New Delhi |
All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) | New Delhi |
Christian Medical College | Tamil Nadu |
Lady Hardinge Medical College | New Delhi |
Kasturba Medical College | Karnataka |
King George's Medical University | Uttar Pradesh |
Maulana Azad Medical College | New Delhi |
MGR Educational and Research Institute | Chennai |
Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research | Pondicherry |
Armed Forces Medical College | Pune |
SRM Institute of Science and Technology | Chennai |
MS Ramaiah Medical College | Karnataka |
Popular Colleges Abroad to Study Psychiatry Courses
Since mental health is a global issue, many international institutions are also pioneering in promoting Psychiatry courses.
Here is a list of some of the most renowned international universities and colleges for aspirants to study psychiatry courses abroad:
Name of the College/Institute | Location |
Harvard University | United States |
Stanford University | United States |
Columbia University | United States |
Yale University | United States |
University of Oxford | United Kingdom |
King’s College London | United Kingdom |
University College London | United Kingdom |
University of Cambridge | United Kingdom |
University of Toronto | Canada |
University of British Columbia | Canada |
McGill University | Canada |
McMaster University | Canada |
University of Amsterdam | Netherlands |
Karolinska Institute | Sweden |
University of Melbourne | Australia |
Catholic University of Leuven | Belgium |
University of New South Wales | Australia |
The University of Queensland | Australia |
University of Sydney | Australia |
The University of Auckland | New Zealand |
Course Fees
The fees for psychiatry courses are determined by a variety of factors, including the type of course, level of programme, type of university, location, and others.
The following are the estimated fees for psychiatry courses in India at various levels of study:
Programme/Study Level | Average Annual Estimated Fee Range in INR |
Certificate | 2,000-30,000 |
Diploma | 10,000-80,000 |
Undergraduate | 20,000-1,50,000 |
PG Diploma | 30,000-2,00,000 |
Postgraduate | 40,000-12,30,000 |
Top Recruiters And Salary
Job roles | Average Annual Pay Range (in INR) |
Addiction Psychiatrist | 2-5 lakh |
Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist | 4-14 lakh |
Forensic Psychiatrist | 3-16 lakh |
Professor/Lecturer | 2.6-7 lakh |
General Adult Psychiatrist | 3.5-15 lakh |
Rehabilitation Psychiatrist | 3.5-8 lakh |
Neuropsychiatrist | 3-17 lakh |
Clinical Psychiatrist | 3.5-12 lakh |
Staff Psychiatrist | 2.5-6 lakh |
Course Scope And Career Options
Some of the most well-known job roles, along with their job descriptions, are included below:
Job Roles | Job Description |
Addiction Psychiatrist | Addiction Psychiatrists treat persons of all ages who have addictions to illicit substances, alcohol, and prescription medications that are exacerbated by concurrent mental health illnesses such as depression, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia, among other things. |
Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist | Doctors in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry deal with children, adolescents, and their families. They address a wide range of mental health issues and ailments, such as autism spectrum disorders, depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and eating disorders. |
Forensic Psychiatrist | A Forensic Psychiatrist is someone who works with the mental health of prisoners, criminals, and others. They are in charge of diagnosing and treating convicts, criminals, and so on. |
Professor/Lecturer | A professor or lecturer is someone who strives to deliver the necessary information and abilities to students who want to become competent psychiatrists in the future by utilising various strategies. |
General Adult Psychiatrist | In instances involving substance abuse, a general adult psychiatrist consults with and treats patients aged 18 and up. |
Rehabilitation Psychiatrist | A Rehabilitation Psychiatrist is a clinician who helps patients overcome mental illnesses and regain their maximum level of functioning. |
Neuropsychiatrist | A neuropsychiatrist treats patients who have mental imbalances as well as emotional and mental disorders. |
Clinical Psychiatrist | A clinical psychiatrist helps patients cope with mental health issues by medicating, counseling, and providing treatment. |
Staff Psychiatrist | Staff psychiatrists operate in clinics and institutions that provide comprehensive psychiatric treatment and report to higher-level psychiatrists. |
Admission Process
Aspirants must know that admission to psychiatry courses is strictly based on the aggregate marks obtained in class 12th/bachelor's degree/master's degree. Besides this, many universities and institutes in India also conduct different entrance exams to screen eligible students for admission to psychiatry courses. Having said that, candidates can begin their application process for psychiatry courses both online and offline.
Here are some important points to remember before applying:
1. Students must go to the university's or college's website and correctly fill out all of the essential information/personal data in the student application form. Applicants must wait for any necessary letters from the college/university after enrolling.
2. Following online registration, applicants must appear at the university premises with all necessary papers, including all previous academic transcripts, mark sheets, certificates, ID verification, and pictures.
3. Candidates who choose to apply offline must obtain an application form from the college campus and submit it after correctly filling it out with the necessary information.
4. Students will be admitted to their chosen colleges/universities based on their past academic results, performance and entrance exam qualifying scores. It is also important to note that admission will be granted only to those eligible students who fulfil all the eligibility criteria and clear the cut-off marks set by the college/institute.