ANM Vs GNM Vs BSc Nursing: Which Course is the Best after Class 12?

ANM Vs GNM Vs BSc Nursing – Know the best option to pursue after class 12 if you are looking for a career in nursing. Find out which among ANM, GNM, or BSc nursing offers brighter career prospects, salary, and job opportunities.

ANM vs GNM vs BSc Nursing are the popular nursing courses that offer promising career prospects for candidates who wish to join the medical industry beyond the typical MBBS programs. After completing class 12, the decision to make a career in the domain of nursing is quite wise. But before making a move, find out  the difference among ANM vs GNM vs BSc Nursing. All the three domains offer bright earning potential in the Indian subcontinent. Students often get confused about ANM vs GNM vs BSc Nursing, which is the best?

Nursing is a highly sought-after profession among medical aspirants as it offers high regard and esteem in the healthcare sector as well as among patients and people, one cannot choose all three courses in one go. Therefore, it is important to understand the nuances of all three courses. Find out complete details about ANM vs GNM vs BSc Nursing programmes in the article below: 

Nursing as a Career

Courses such as ANM, GNM, and BSc Nursing offer an opportunity to become a Nurse. Nursing professionals are extremely devoted workers in the country's healthcare system. Nurses have always demonstrated their mettle in all aspects of patient and disease management and care, whether it is ward nursing, emergency case management, or managing a worldwide pandemic. Being the primary workforce, extending primary treatment and day-to-day care to patients, they are indispensable in saving lives. The

Also Read: GNM Nursing Admission 2024: Application Form, Dates, Eligibility & Admission Process

Nursing Industry in India - Crucial Statistics

While looking between ANM vs GNM vs BSc Nursing, which is the best, below mentioned statistics about the nursing industry in India will help applicants to find the answer:

1. The Nurse workforce accounts for more than 60% of the Indian health workforce, making it a supporting pillar of the Indian health workforce.

2. India, the world's second-largest country in terms of population, struggles with a nursing shortage and falls far short of the WHO-specified patient-to-nurse ratio.

3. India has 1.7 nurses per 1,000 people, which is 43% fewer than the WHO standard (3 per 1,000).

4. Nurses, midwives, women's health visitors, and auxiliary nurse-midwives are all included.

5. On March 3, 2020, the government informed the Rajya Sabha that India has 3.07 million registered nursing personnel.

There is a big opportunity in the nursing job market due to the scarce nursing staff in the country. A strong healthcare system demands not just the best doctors but the best supporting staff who are the real enablers. Nursing as a profession is a gratifying career for the service providers. Choosing nursing as a career after completing class 12 opens up many opportunities not just a promising career but it is a way of life to get indulged in a social cause as well.

ANM vs GNM vs BSc Nursing 

Find out all about ANM, GNM, and BSc nursing as a career for the aspirants: 

ANM Career Prospects  

ANM, or Auxiliary Nursing Midwifery, is a diploma programme that focuses on preparing nurses to work as community health workers. The course teaches students how to care for medical equipment, set up an operation theatre, administer medication to patients on time, and keep patient records in small towns. The programme is mainly focused on fundamental training. Hence, Candidates pursuing the ANM programme are expected to have a basic understanding of nursing concepts as well as the ability to offer first aid and primary medical care to patients. Due to the short duration of this course, the ANM course curriculum contains fewer courses than the GNM and BSc Nursing programmes.

GNM Career Prospects

After completing class 12, anyone can study for General Nursing and Midwifery (GNM). The GNM diploma takes three and a half years to complete, including a six-month internship. Individuals, families, and communities are the emphasis of GNM's services. As previously stated, GNM prepares students to care for patients on a large scale and is not limited to a single community. The training is within the category of paramedics. The diploma programme is meant to prepare students to work as nurses in a hospital setting and execute tasks such as delivering first aid, assisting in research activities, performing wound procedures, and working efficiently in a team. Students will also benefit from the GNM curriculum if they wish to pursue higher education.

BSc Nursing Career Prospects

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing or BSc Nursing is a four-year undergraduate degree programme. Anyone who has completed a diploma in nursing (ANM or GNM) or has passed class 12 with physics, chemistry, and biology topics is eligible to enroll in the programme. The BSc Nursing programme primarily prepares students to care for the sick and diseased, and hence the curriculum includes disciplines such as biochemistry, nutrition, anatomy, physiology, psychology, and others. Students pursuing a BSc in nursing are trained in both theoretical and practical areas of nursing. Nurses are taught to do more than just provide first aid and primary medical treatment; they are also trained to brief patients, coordinate hospital wards and ward workers, and help doctors during medical operations.

Also Read: List of BSc Nursing Entrance Exams for 2024

ANM vs GNM vs BSc Nursing Eligibility Criteria

Below are the eligibility criteria for the ANM, GNM, and BSc Nursing courses as laid by the Indian Nursing Council (INC): 

ANM Eligibility Criteria	GNM Eligibility Criteria	BSc Nursing Eligibility Criteria
The candidate should be of 17 years and not more than 35 years of age. Candidate should have passed class 12 in Arts (Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Biotechnology, Economics, Political Science, History, Geography, Business Studies, Accountancy, Home Science, Sociology, Psychology, and Philosophy) and English Core/English Elective or Science or Health care Science - Vocational stream from a recognized Board. The candidate should be medically fit. A candidate who has passed class 12 with Arts or Science subjects from the National Institute of Open School is also eligible The candidate shall be admitted once a year	The candidate should be of 17 years and not more than 35 years of age Should have passed class 12 with Science and must have obtained a minimum of 40 percent in aggregate and English individually from any recognized board. Candidates are also eligible for State Open School recognized Candidates are also eligible from State Open School recognized by State Government and National Institute of Open School (NIOS) recognized by Central Government. However, Science is preferable. Should have passed class 12 with English subject scoring 40 percent in vocational ANM course from the school recognized by Indian Nursing Council. Should have passed class 12 with English subject scoring 40 percent in vocational Stream-Health care Science from a recognized CBSE board/Centre. Should be a Registered ANM with pass marks	The candidate should be of 17 years and not more than 35 years of age. Should have passed class 12 with Science (PCB) & English Core/English Elective with 45 percent in aggregate from a recognized board under AISSCE/CBSE/ICSE/SSCE/HSCE or other equivalent Board The candidate should be medically fit Candidates appearing for the class 12 examination in Science conducted by the National Institute of Open School with 45 percent in the aggregate are also eligible The candidate shall be admitted once a year

ANM, GNM, BSc Nursing Course Curriculum

Below is the summary of the topics and subjects which candidates can expect during the course: 

ANM	GNM	BSc Nursing
Medical-Surgical Nursing Health Promotion Primary Healthcare Nursing  Child Health Nursing Midwifery Health Centre Management Community Health Nursing Mental Health Care Gynaecology and Midwifery Mandatory 6-month internship	Research & Statistics Nursing Administration & Ward Management Medical-Surgical Nursing Community Health Nursing Nursing Education Child Health Nursing Nursing Foundation Bio-Science Behavioural Science Medical-Surgical Nursing Compulsory 6-month internship	Anatomy Physiology Biochemistry Nutrition Psychology Nursing foundation Sociology Midwifery and Obstetrical Nursing Mental Health Nursing Child Health Nursing Medical-Surgical Nursing Community Health Nursing Pediatric Nursing

Career Prospects - ANM vs GNM vs BSc Nursing 

ANM and GNM Programme

Both the ANM and the GNM are diploma degrees, they offer nearly identical options in the field of nursing. Aside from the promising job prospects, students who complete the ANM and GNM courses have the option of continuing their education. Graduates of the ANM and GNM programmes are qualified to work in both the public and private sectors. Because the GNM programme is longer than the ANM programme, it offers more opportunities in terms of compensation and growth. A candidate can also pursue GNM after completing an ANM diploma. Hospitals (public and private), nursing homes, assisted living facilities, various healthcare enterprises, residences, orphanages, sanatoriums, and the military forces are some of the areas where ANM and GNM graduates might work. A candidate will be eligible for registration with the State Nursing Council after completing the ANM or GNM diploma programme.

About BSc Nursing

In comparison to ANM and GNM Diploma programmes, BSc Nursing is a full-fledged four-year degree programme with an emphasis on practical aspects of nursing. It has many more opportunities to offer. Students who intend to pursue post-graduate studies will benefit from an undergraduate degree. BSc Nursing graduates, like ANM and GNM graduates, are in high demand in both the public and private sectors. Even in the educational sector, BSc Nursing offers the most promising job choices of the three nursing courses in terms of growth and compensation. BSc Nursing graduates work for the Indian Red Cross Society, the Indian Nursing Council, State Nursing Councils, and other nursing organisations in addition to government and private hospitals.

A few of the renowned BSc Nursing entrance exams are mentioned in the table below:

AIIMS Nursing 2024

KGMU Nursing 2024

Because all three programmes have the same career goal of becoming a nurse, their locations of employment are also similar. BSc Nursing graduates, on the other hand, can expect to get hired by better companies and command greater earnings than GNM and ANM graduates. The following are some of the positions which can hire ANM, GNM, and BSc Nursing graduates:

• Government and Private Hospitals
• Aanangwadi Programmes
• Community Health Centres
• Private Clinics
• Dispensaries
• Nursing Homes
• Various Nursing Schools and Associations
• Educational institutions and industries
• Indian Nursing Council and various State Nursing Councils

DFP-Banner

Essential Skills Required for Nursing

Nursing is not an easy job by any stretch of the imagination. It is a tough job path that requires someone who is committed to caring for the sick. If a nursing aspirant wishes to establish a successful career in nursing, he or she must already have or be prepared to develop the following abilities.

• Effective communication skills: Nurses are required to communicate with doctors and patients continuously. They should have communication skills strong enough to convey the observations, and treatment procedure effectively.
• Ability to work for long hours: No doubt, Nurses have a lot of work pressure and have to do a lot in a day. The job of a Nurse is not restricted to a typical 9 to 5 job hours and they have to work beyond the shift limitations around the clock depending upon the availability of resources.
• Critical thinking capabilities: Nurses are the first attendants to the patients in a hospital or the clinics and have to make quick decisions at times depending upon the criticalities related to the patient’s condition, which can make a big difference in the line of treatment.
• Staying alert and paying attention to detail: As the nurses spend a lot of time with the patients, hence can easily judge if there is any change in the condition or symptoms by paying attention to every detail.
• Strong sense of caring and empathy: Patients when admitted or visiting the hospital are already disturbed and hence Nurses have to make them comfortable enough by taking care of them by empathizing with the pain and physical and mental condition of the particular patient.

Salary Prospects - ANM vs GNM vs BSc Nursing 

The course duration and the experience (if any) and knowledge of the candidate can fetch a quite lucrative salary package to the ANM, GNM, and BSc Nursing graduates. Below is the average starting salary range of all three programmes:

• ANM Starting Salary in India can be from INR 10,000 to INR 12,000
• GNM starting salary in India is approx between INR 10,000 to INR 15,000

Although initial earnings are low, especially for Diploma graduates, experienced nurses can earn salaries ranging from INR 50,000 to INR 75,000 in India because the nursing profession has a lot of potential, and professionals in the field are in high demand.

Also Read: BSc Nursing vs BPharma vs BPT: What to Choose?

Take or Leave Decision - ANM vs GNM vs BSc Nursing

The ANM is the only option for anyone who passes the class 12 test from a non-science discipline and wants to pursue a career in nursing. Graduates of the ANM diploma programme are entitled to register as nurses and pursue the GNM diploma programme after completing the ANM. They will be eligible for the BSc Nursing and BSc (Post-Basic) Nursing programmes as a result of the process. If the individual comes from a science background with Biology as a subject, the GNM diploma will be the best place to start. Graduates of the GNM programme can pursue a BSc in Nursing or a BSc (Post-Basic) Nursing degree. GNM graduates who have worked for at least two years are also eligible to enroll in BSC Nursing Distance programmes.

A science stream candidate, on the other hand, who wants to focus on academics before starting work should pick BSc Nursing, which allows them to pursue MSc Nursing, a post-graduate degree. After completing the MSc Nursing programme, individuals can pursue a PhD or seek employment. This article on which is best among ANM, GNM, and BSc Nursing will give applicants an insight as to which option to choose as per their eligibility and qualifications.