GNM stands for General Nursing and Midwifery. GNM Nursing is a three-year diploma course with a mandatory six-months internship period. GNM Nursing is designed for aspirants who want to pursue a career in clinical nursing. GNM admissions is granted to students who have successfully passed their 10+2 or it’s equivalent in the Science stream, with a minimum of 50% marks in aggregate, and have qualified state-level exams such as WBJEE ANM-GNM, Maharashtra GNM, Kerala GNM, etc. The program teaches aspirants how to care for individuals who are sick or have been injured in order to help them attain full recovery. One may check out the GNM Syllabus to get an idea of the course curriculum.
Candidates are required to complete their GNM nursing course through offline learning as distance learning for GNM Nursing has a very limited scope. Renowned colleges such as Christian Medical College, Jamia Hamdard University, SRM Institute Of Science And Technology, Kalinga Institute Of Industrial Technology, etc. offer admission into GNM nursing course. The GNM Nursing course fee ranges from NR 30,000 to INR 2.5 LPA. Once candidates complete the GNM nursing studies, they can apply for several GNM jobs including Government jobs after GNM Nursing as Clinical Nurse Specialists, Forensic Nurse, Legal Nurse Consultants, Government/Private Hospital Practitioners, Travelling Nurse, etc. that offer competitive GNM Salary packages.
GNM Nursing Course Highlights
Some of the basic details of the GNM course are as follows:
| Course Level | Diploma |
|---|---|
| GNM Full Form | General Nursing and Midwifery |
| Short Name | GNM |
| GNM Nursing Duration | 3.5 Years |
| GNM Nursing Examination Type | Semester System/ Year-wise |
| GNM Nursing Eligibility | 10+2 with minimum 50% marks in aggregate with science subjects |
| GNM Admission Process | Merit-Based/ Entrance Exam |
| GNM Course Fee | INR 30,000 to INR 2.5 LPA |
| GNM Top Employment Areas | Hospitals, Nursing Homes, Universities, etc |
| GNM Job Roles | Clinical Nurse Specialist, Legal Nurse Consultant, Forensic Nursing etc. |
Why Choose GNM Nursing?
While there’s no shortage of medical courses for students in today’s era, the surge in demand for qualified Nursing professionals has been constant around the world. The need for high-quality medical assistance post a patient’s medical diagnosis is undoubtedly crucial. Therefore, in order to understand the importance of a GNM Nursing course, interested candidates may go through the points mentioned below:
- GNM Nursing course provides vocational training to students to help them assist the needs of the patients using advanced clinical methodologies.
- As a GNM Nursing professional, a candidate is expected to address the patients’ needs and lend a helping hand to the doctors post medical diagnosis. The overall goal is to provide care for the society in general.
- The curriculum of the GNM Nursing course is specifically curated to transform learners into full-fledged nursing professionals. It comprises a mixture of both on-ground training and theoretical understanding for the aspirants which helps one acquire basic skills.
- With Nursing being one of the most reputed professions in the country, candidates graduating GNM Nursing course are guaranteed work opportunities across several sectors in the medical and healthcare industries.
- With the ongoing demand for Nursing professionals in the country, candidates are offered lucrative salary packages, with esteemed career growth opportunities.
Types of GNM Nursing
GNM courses are primarily of 2 types, namely, Basic and Post Basic Nursing. However, candidates wishing to pursue a GNM Nursing course in distance learning may do so from the list of colleges that accept GNM admissions for the same. Let’s take a quick look at each one of these in detail:
| Name | Details | Course Fees |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Nursing | Basic Nursing is the most common type of GNM Nursing, which is a 3-year bachelor’s degree course that helps students gain knowledge on nursing. It is a comprehensive study on treating an array of disorders and is designed to produce general nurses who can work effectively as part of a health team in a variety of hospitals and other organizations. Candidates should clear the class 12th examination with a Science stream and an aggregate of 40% marks to be deemed eligible for the degree. Candidates should also be between the ages of 17 and 35, and must be medically fit. | INR 8,500 to INR 1.35 LPA |
| Post-Basic GNM | Post-Basic GNM usually focuses on advanced knowledge in Nursing programmes. Candidates get to take a deep dive into the nursing syllabus and open new career opportunities after completing this course. The basic version of this programme lasts three years, while the normal one lasts for two years. Post-basic GNM has a lot of potentials and therefore, students pursuing the same can opt to work at nursing schools, clinics, and public health centers, among other places. | INR 25,000 to INR 2.50 LPA |
| Distance GNM Nursing Course | Very limited colleges offer a distance-learning program in the GNM Nursing course. The scope of GNM Nursing in distance is limited and mostly not advised by medical professionals. Thus, most colleges prefer the in-person teaching route. | INR 20,000 to INR 1.5 LPA |
GNM Nursing Eligibility Criteria
For GNM admission, there are certain criteria that the candidates need to fulfill. They are listed below:
- The eligibility criteria are uniform in all the states of India for this course, however, seat allotment might vary based on the reservation rules of a particular state.
- Candidates must have English as their compulsory subject and should have a science stream in their 12th standard. Also, they need to score a minimum of 40% aggregate marks and in English separately in their qualifying exam.
- The candidate must be a 10+2 pass out with English as the compulsory subject and must have secured 40% in aggregate in Vocational ANM course from any Indian Nursing Council-recognized institute.
- The candidate should have completed class 12th with English having 40% in aggregate in Vocational Stream Health Care Science from a CBSE-recognized board.
- The aspirant needs to be registered with ANM and must have a qualifying rank.
- Candidates must have passed class 12th with Physics, Biology and Chemistry with an aggregate of 50% in overall.
GNM Career Options and Job Prospects
Nursing is a full-time occupation and candidates who have acquired the required skills and education in the field of care-taking and nursing can take up jobs at hospitals, clinics, health departments or can work as a private health care-taker. GNM diploma holders can also take up community services and can work for NGOs that spread medical awareness or help the sick. The salaries offered after the GNM courses can vary from INR 1.5 lakh to INR 3 lakh. Some government jobs pay better packages to freshers who complete this course. Following are some of the job profiles that a GNM diploma holder can apply for:
| GNM Nursing Job Profiles | |
|---|---|
| Staff Nurse | Home Nurse |
| Health Visitor | Community Health Worker |
| Clinical Nurse Specialist | Legal Nurse Consultant |
| Health Care Nurse | Certified Nursing Assistant |
| Nursing Tutor | Senior – Nurse Educator |
| Forensic Nurse | Emergency Room Nurse |
Since GNM is a diploma programme, most of the candidates apply for advanced nursing courses after completing the GNM course in order to enhance their career prospects. There are various courses that candidates can pursue after this diploma programme including the Auxiliary Nursing Midwifery (ANM), B.Sc. in Nursing, M.Sc. in Nursing, PG Certificate in Nursing and Doctorate (Ph.D.). Job options after pursuing these courses along with GNM are better than the career options and salaries offered after the GNM alone.
Salaries offered after pursuing GNM followed by PG diploma or master courses in nursing are lucrative. Nurses working in forensics, ICU and private home care, can earn up to INR 4.9 LPA to INR 5 LPA. Salaries also increase with the job profile of the nursing professional. Specialists, consultants and professors in this field get packages varying from INR 5.5 LPA to INR 9.13 LPA.
GNM Nursing Course Salary
Candidates graduating from the GNM course can bag salaries mentioned below based on experience and skillset.
| Job Profile | Average Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Forensic Nurse | INR 5 LPA |
| Legal Consulting Nurse | INR 5.3 LPA |
| Clinical/Hospital Nurse | INR 4.5 LPA |
| Teachers | INR 9.1 LPA |
| Home Nurse | INR 2.4 LPA |