The Healthcare industry is filled with an array of career opportunities for those who want to work towards ensuring the health and well-being of society. There is a plethora of specialised diploma and degree courses offered in Medical Science that you can choose from. One such specialised course is a GNM course. General Nursing and Midwifery (GNM) course is a job-oriented diploma program that aims to train individuals in advanced skills in nursing with a focus on midwifery services as well. The duration of this course is three and a half year and enables students with the knowledge of maternity care. This article details the specifics of a GNM course and the career prospects you can explore after completing the course.
| Types of Program | Diploma |
| Program Name | General Nursing and Midwifery |
| Short Name | GNM |
| Duration | 3.5 Years |
| Eligibility | 10+2 (Science Stream)with minimum 50% marks |
| Admission Process | Merit or Entrance Exam Based |
| Course Fee | Up to 2.5 Lakhs |
| Popular Employment Sectors | Hospitals Nursing Homes Universities Private Clinics NGOs |
| Job Roles | Clinical Nurse Specialist Legal Nurse Consultant Forensic Nursing |
Best GNM Colleges Associated with Us,
- R S Roy Collegw Dumka
- Mohammadi College Gulbarga
- Harsha College Bangalore
- NSS COLLEGE OF PHARMACY BANGALORE
- OXFORD BANGALORE
- PADMAVATI CLEGE BANGALORE
- Vidya Sagar Paramedical Intitute Sangrur Punjab
- Baba Farid college Ludhiana
- Aryan College Rajpura
- GTB College Bhatinda
- Sridhar University Pilani
What is GNM (General Nursing & Midwifery)?
The GNM course is a variant of a nursing course and is geared towards addressing the essential need for qualified nursing professionals that are well-versed in all aspects of nursing, maternity care, post-trauma care, rehabilitative care, mental care amongst others. It prepares an individual with the necessary technical know-how and practical training to help them enter the healthcare industry. It also imparts students with essential communication, administrative and leadership skills which are significant for pursuing a career in General Nursing and Midwifery.
The components of a GNM course are specifically curated to train students to become fully-fledged nursing professionals. Though all courses differ slightly, the course generally runs for 3 years with six months of practical experience included or additionally. This ensures a well-needed blend of theory and on-the-ground training. The first year tries to build a strong foundation about Medical concepts and Fundamentals of Nursing. The last two years focus on giving a holistic understanding of the discipline of Nursing.
Nursing Types
Here is a list of different types of GNM courses for students to pursue:
- Auxiliary Nurse & Midwife (ANM)
- General Nursing & Midwifery (GNM)
- B.Sc. Nursing / B.Sc. Hons. Nursing / Post Basic B.Sc. Nursing
- MSc in Nursing
- MPhil in Nursing
- PhD in Nursing
GNM Nurse: Skills Required
After the GNM diploma, the graduates are lodged as RNRM (Registered Nurse Registered Midwife). This work requires administering the patients and assisting doctors in rendering care. Here are the basic skills required for the job:
- While dealing with patients, the Nurse should have the endurance to empathize with patients.
- The Nurse should demonstrate skills like excellent communication and compassion while working with doctors, patients, and other hospital administration.
- A nurse should be skilled enough to interact both in medical jargon (with doctors) and in laymen’s terms (with patients).
- A nurse should have strong organizational and management skills as a nurse is also liable for managing patient documentations.
Also Read: Diploma in Physiotherapy
General Nursing & Midwifery Curriculum
The course curriculum followed during a GNM course is meticulously planned to cover important topics like Mental Health Nursing, Child Nursing, Maternal Care, amongst others. Institutes in India follow the curriculum layout set by the India Nursing Council (INC).
Subjects Covered in First Year
- BioSciences
- Anatomy and Physiology
- Microbiology
- Behavioral Sciences
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Nursing Foundations
- Fundamentals of Nursing
- First Aid
- Community Nursing
- Environmental Hygiene
- Health Education and communication skills
- Nutrition
- English
- Computer Education
- Co-curricular Activities
Subjects Covered in Second Year
- Medical-Surgical Nursing
- Mental Health and Psychiatric Nursing
- Child Health Nursing
- Co-curricular Activities
Subjects Covered in Third Year
- Midwifery and Gynaecological Nursing
- Community Health Nursing
- Co-Curricular Activities
- Nursing Education
- Introduction to Research and Statistics
- Professional Trends and Adjustments
- Nursing Administration and Ward Management
Clinical Areas in General Nursing & Midwifery
The following clinical areas are where students are commonly posted during a GNM course to get hands-on practical experience in the field of Nursing.
- Medical-Surgical Nursing
- Community Health Nursing
- Child Health Nursing
- Midwifery and Gynaecological Nursing
- Mental Health Nursing
Note: To know more about the hours of study and the breakup between theory and practical portions and any other relevant information, you can view the official INC syllabus for GNM course.
Must Read: Hospital Management Course
Eligibility Criteria for a GNM Course
To enrol in a GNM course at any institute in India, prospective students need to fulfil the minimum eligibility criteria set by the INC. These essential requirements help in maintaining the quality of standards required for nurses. Familiarity with computers is also desirable. The prescribed eligibility criteria for a GNM course are:
- Age Limit: 17-35 years
- Educational Requirements: Candidates need to have at least 40% in their 10+2 exams from any stream though science students are preferred. It is also mandatory for students to have passed in the English subject. Open School candidates are also eligible provided they fulfil other requirements.
- Those with 40% marks in 10+2 with English in a vocational Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM) program recognised by the INC or vocational stream and healthcare science from CBSE board are eligible.
- Registered ANMs with passing marks are also eligible.
GNM Fee Structure in India
| College | Total Fees |
| Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore | INR 70,000 |
| Christian Medical College (CMC), Ludhiana | INR 2,40,000 |
| Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (IPGMER), Kolkata | INR 45,000 |
| KIIT Bhubaneswar | INR 30,000 |
| Government Medical College, Kozhikode | INR 15,000 |
| Government Medical College and Hospital, Chandigarh | INR 1,20,000 |
| TD Medical College, Alappuzha | INR 1,80,000 |
| Maharajah’s Institute of Medical Sciences, Vizianagaram | INR 51,000 |
| Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot | INR 60,000 |
GNM Colleges in India
Students from all streams are qualified to pursue the GNM course, though Science students with Biology as a subject, are chosen over commerce and art students. Few top GNM colleges require a minimum of 60% results in Class 12th though most other colleges require 50% marks. Here is a list of GNM Colleges as per NIRF Rankings in India:
| NIRF Medical Colleges | College Name | Location | Fees (INR) |
| 3 | Christian Medical College (CMC) | Vellore | 35,000 |
| 14 | St. John’s Medical College | Bangalore | 5,00,000 |
| 25 | Government Medical College and Hospital | Chandigarh | 25,000 |
| 31 | SRM Institute of Science and Technology | Chennai | 55,000 |
| 32 | KIIT | Bhubaneswar | 1,50,000 |
GNM Course Entrance Exams
Colleges publish a credit list based on competitors’ performance in the 12th examination. Some institutes also administer their entrance exams for these programs or select students based on state-level diploma entrance examinations. Those applicants who pass the entrance exams will be accepted for admittance to the GNM course. Some of the famous entrance exams for the GNM course are:
- AIIMS Nursing Entrance Exam
- BHU Nursing Entrance Exam
- JIPMER Nursing Entrance Exam
- PGIMER Nursing
- MGM CET Nursing
- IGNOU OpenNet
- RUHS Nursing Entrance Exam
Career Prospects After GNM Course
After completing a GNM course, there are a variety of paths a graduate can take in order to pursue a career in Nursing. Recruiting organisations include hospitals, nursing homes, NGOs, dispensaries, first-aid clinics, nurse teaching companies, etc.. Some of the major career prospects in Nursing are mentioned below.
- Midwife Nurse
- Clinical Nurse
- Emergency Care Nurse
- Legal Nursing Consultant
- Mental Health Carer
- Nursing Educator
- Child Nurse
- Social Worker
- Community Nurse
- Forensic Nurse
- Health Promotion Official
Employment Sectors for General Nursing & Midwifery
Some of the standard jobs where an ANM & GNM graduate can employ their skills are given here:
- Rural Health Centres
- Government hospitals
- NGOs
- Old age homes
- Government health schemes
- Community Health Centres
- Government dispensaries
- Nursing Homes
- Private hospitals/clinics
GNM Course Salary
GNM diploma bachelors can anticipate a starting pay ranging from Rs 8,000 to Rs 12,000. But with practice and achievement of additional educational qualifications, they can make Rs 3.2 L per annum to 7.8 L per annum. The pay may alternate depending on the employer’s association and hospital.
| Job Profile | Average Annual Salary |
| Clinical/Hospital Nurse | INR 4,50,553 |
| Legal Consulting Nurse | INR 5,30,989 |
| Teachers | INR 9,13,657 |
| Forensic Nurse | INR 4,94,720 |
| Home Nurse | INR 2,37,186 |
Thus, a GNM course is a perfect program for those who want to become a part of the medical community by pursuing the field of Nursing. When considering a specialised degree in Medical Science such as nursing or physiotherapy programs, it is only but natural to feel unsure about the career prospects it provides.
However, these are quickly developing fields and the demand for committed individuals is always there. The AI-based algorithm at Leverage Edu can help you browse through a wide range of courses in specialisations of Medical Science and to choose an ideal one that aligns with your interests and aspirations.