BAMS Course Details: Duration, Eligibility, Syllabus and Admission
Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS): what you study, how long it takes, who is eligible, and how BAMS admission works in Karnataka through NEET-UG and KEA counselling.
What is BAMS?
BAMS is an undergraduate degree in Ayurveda, the classical Indian system of medicine. You study the Ayurvedic texts and principles, diagnosis, herbal pharmacology, Panchakarma and surgery, together with anatomy, physiology and other modern basics. Graduates register as Ayurveda practitioners.
The curriculum and minimum standards for colleges are set by the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM). In Karnataka, the degree is awarded by Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences.
Course at a glance
| Total duration | 5 years 6 months |
| Academic study | 4 years 6 months |
| Compulsory internship | 1 year |
| Entrance exam | NEET-UG |
| Regulator | NCISM |
| University (Karnataka) | RGUHS |
Eligibility
- Passed 10+2 (PUC II) with Physics, Chemistry, Biology and English.
- Minimum aggregate in PCB as set by NCISM regulations (typically 50% for general category, with relaxation for reserved categories).
- Qualified NEET-UG in the admission year at or above the cut-off percentile.
- Minimum age of 17 years by 31 December of the admission year.
Exact percentages and age rules are published each year in the NEET-UG bulletin and KEA notification.
Admission process
- Write NEET-UGConducted by the National Testing Agency, usually in May.
- Register for counsellingAACCC for All-India quota seats; KEA for Karnataka state quota seats.
- Fill choicesList colleges in order of preference.
- Seat allotmentBased on NEET rank, category and choices, over several rounds.
- Report to collegeWith original documents and fee payment, within the deadline.
Entrance examination
NEET-UG is the single national entrance exam for BAMS. It tests Physics, Chemistry and Biology (Botany and Zoology). There is no separate BAMS entrance in Karnataka; KEA and AACCC allot seats using NEET-UG results.
Subjects by professional year
| Phase | Main subjects |
|---|---|
| First Professional | Padartha Vigyan (fundamental principles), Sanskrit and Ayurveda Itihasa, Kriya Sharira (physiology), Rachana Sharira (anatomy), Samhita Adhyayan, plus an introductory transitional curriculum |
| Second Professional | Dravyaguna Vigyan (pharmacology of herbs), Rasashastra and Bhaishajya Kalpana (pharmaceutics), Roga Nidana (pathology and diagnosis), Agada Tantra (toxicology and forensic medicine), Samhita Adhyayan |
| Third Professional | Kayachikitsa (internal medicine), Panchakarma, Shalya Tantra (surgery), Shalakya Tantra (ENT, eye, dental), Prasuti Tantra and Stri Roga (obstetrics and gynaecology), Kaumarabhritya (paediatrics), Swasthavritta and Yoga (community medicine), Research methodology |
Subject grouping follows the NCISM competency-based curriculum; RGUHS publishes the year-wise syllabus.
Clinical training
Every recognised BAMS college runs an attached Ayurveda teaching hospital with outpatient (OPD) and inpatient (IPD) departments, a Panchakarma theatre, a labour room and an operation theatre. Students begin clinical postings in the later years, taking case histories, assisting procedures and following patients under faculty supervision.
Internship
After passing the final examinations, students complete a one-year compulsory rotating internship. Postings rotate through the clinical departments of the teaching hospital, and part of the year can be spent at a primary health centre or community hospital. The degree is awarded after the internship is completed.
Higher studies
MD (Ayurveda)
Three-year postgraduate degree in subjects such as Kayachikitsa, Panchakarma, Dravyaguna or Rasashastra. Entrance through AIAPGET.
MS (Ayurveda)
Surgical postgraduate degree in Shalya Tantra, Shalakya Tantra or Prasuti Tantra and Stri Roga.
PhD in Ayurveda
Research degree after MD/MS, offered by RGUHS and other universities.
Other options
Master of Public Health, MBA in Hospital or Healthcare Management, MSc in Clinical Research, and diplomas in Yoga or Nutrition.