ANM Vs GNM Vs BSc Nursing: Which is the Best Course for You?

Nurses are one of the most dedicated workforces found in the health sector across the globe. They are responsible for the primary treatment and day-to-day care of a patient and play a role as important as a doctor in saving lives. Taking up nursing as a career after the 12th is a great option for any student. For dedicated students who have managed to get into one of the top Nursing colleges in India, nursing courses even offer excellent career prospects abroad. So if you are confused about choosing one course, go through the content below to get a detailed analysis of GNM Vs ANM Vs BSc Nursing. 

ANM – Auxiliary Nursing Midwifery

ANM full form is Auxiliary Nursing Midwifery. It is a 2-year Diploma program that aims to prepare young aspirants to join as community health workers. During the course, students are taught about the various medical equipment, the knowledge of setting up an operation theatre, the process of administering medication to patients, and keeping a record of all patients. The ANM course mainly focuses on fundamental training. Therefore, students pursuing this program are expected to have a conceptual understanding of nursing along with certain skills, like first aid. Due to its short duration, the ANM course curriculum contains fewer subjects than the BSc Nursing and GNM programs.  

GNM – General Nursing Midwifery

Another alternative for aspiring nurses after completion of Grade 12 is the GNM or General Nursing and Midwifery program. Like the ANM course, GNM is also a Diploma program spanning over 3 and a half years, including a 6-month internship. Having completed this course, students are prepared to care for patients at large and not just a single community.  The GNM course aims to train students to work as nurses in hospitals and perform tasks, like assisting in research activities, delivering first aid and caring for wounds, and working in a team. The course may also prove beneficial for those who wish to pursue higher education in nursing. 

BSc Nursing

BSc Nursing is one of the most popular undergraduate nursing programs pursued after Class 12. It is a 4-year course during which students are trained in both theoretical and practical areas of nursing to be prepared to care for the sick and diseased. Alongside, they are also taught about how to provide primary medical treatment and first aid, assist doctors and surgeons during medical procedures, coordinate with the hospital staff, and brief patients about their conditions. 

Also Read: Government Jobs After Nursing Cousre

ANM Vs GNM Vs BSc Nursing: Eligibility Criteria

Whether you are planning on pursuing an ANM, GNM or BSc Nursing course after the 12th, you should know that the eligibility criteria are different for each of them. 

ANM Nursing Eligibility Criteria

To enrol for an ANM course, aspirants will need to meet the following eligibility criteria:

• The age of the candidate must be between 17 years and 35 years

• As per the guidelines of the Indian Nursing Council (INC), the candidate must have passed (10+2) in Arts (Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Biotechnology, Biology, Political Science, Economics, Geography, History, Accountancy, Business Studies, Sociology, Home Science, Philosophy, and Psychology) and Elective English/Core English or Science or Healthcare Science – Vocational from a recognized Board.

• The candidate must have qualified in 12th Grade with Arts/Science subjects from the National Institute of Open School 

• The candidate must be physically fit 

GNM Nursing Eligibility Criteria

The minimum eligibility criteria for admission to the GNM course are as follows:

• The candidate must be between 17 years and 35 years of age

• The aspirant must have passed (10+2) with English and must have secured at least 40% aggregate marks in the qualifying test and English separately from any recognized Board.

• Candidates passing from any State Open School recognized by the State Govt. and any National Institute of Open School recognized by the Central Govt., preferably with Science, are also eligible for the course. 

• The applicant must have qualified in (10+2) with English having secured 40% aggregate marks in the Vocational ANM course from a school recognized by the Indian Nursing Council.

• The candidate must have passed (10+2) with English having secured 40% aggregate marks in the Vocational Healthcare Science recognized by the CBSE Board. 

• The candidate must be registered in ANM with the pass mark

BSc Nursing Eligibility Criteria

The following are the parameters that a candidate must fulfil in order to pursue BSc Nursing:

• The minimum age of the applicant should be 17 years as of December 31, 2021

• The applicant must have passed 12th Grade (10+2) with Science (Physics, Chemistry and Biology) and English/Elective English with a minimum of 50% marks in aggregate from a recognized Board under HSCE/SSCE/ICSE/CBSE/AISSCE or any other equivalent Board. For candidates belonging to ST/SC/OBC Category, the required aggregate is 45% in Biology, Chemistry, Physics and English combined.

• Students taking the 12th Grade (10+2) exams in Science under the National Institute of Open School must score 50% aggregate marks

• Applicants can apply for admission only once a year

• The applicant must be medically fit and healthy

ANM Vs GNM Vs BSc Nursing: Course Curriculum 

Students looking to enrol for ANM/GNM/BSc Nursing programs may also want to know about the course curriculum to plan a career path ahead. For the ease of understanding, take a look at what all these courses include:

ANM Vs GNM Vs BSc Nursing: Career Prospects 

Graduates of both GNM and ANM courses share a similar scope of employment. However, one major difference is that GNM offers a better opportunity for growth in terms of salary as well as work in a workplace environment. Since BSc (N) is a 4-year degree course, it has much better prospects when compared to Diploma courses, especially if you are considering pursuing postgraduate education. 

Since all of the three courses are quite similar, the places of employment of all the three are similar too. However, BSc in Nursing graduates can expect to get into better organizations and can demand higher salaries than GNM and ANM graduates. Some of the places that hire ANM, GNM and BSc in Nursing students are:

• Community Health Centres

• Aanangwadi Programs

• Government and Private hospitals

• Dispensaries

• Private clinics

• Nursing homes

• Government jobs

• Educational institutes/industries

• The Armed Forces

• Nursing Schools & Associations

• Indian Nursing Council and other State Nursing Councils

• The Indian Red Cross Society

ANM Vs GNM Vs BSc Nursing Starting Salary & Growth

Although the initial payscale for ANM and GNM nursing salary is low as compared to BSc Nursing salary, there’s plenty of scope to grow once you have gained experience as a nurse. A lot also depends on the specialization and profession you choose. For instance, on average a Nursing Superintendent earns a whopping INR 7.5Lakhs per annum. This means one can earn up to INR 60,000 per month going up the career ladder. Nevertheless, here is what the starting salary would look like:

ANM, GNM, BSc Nursing Scope and Employment

ANM, and GNM Scope: ANM and GNM are both diploma degrees, and they offer similar options in the field of nursing. Students can continue their education after completing their ANM and GNM course or opt for job options. ANM and GNM graduate programmes are qualified to work in public and private sectors but since the GNM programme is longer than ANM programme, the growth opportunities and compensation is better.  Candidates who have completed their ANM diploma can also opt for the GNM course. There are many career prospects when it comes to candidates with GNM and ANM diplomas such as hospitals (both private and public), nursing homes, healthcare enterprises, assisted living facilities, orphanages, residential homes, sanatoriums and military forces. Once students complete their ANM or GNM diploma programme, candidates will be eligible for registering themselves under the State Nursing Council. 

BSc Nursing scope: when compared to ANM and GNM nursing courses, BSc nursing is a full-fledged four-year degree programme which puts emphasis on all the practical aspects of nursing. The number of opportunities available to candidates after completing a BSC Nursing course is much higher than ANM and GNM diploma .  Just like ANM and GNM graduates, the demand for BSc Nursing graduates is also very high in the industry and offers the most promising job opportunities when it comes to growth and compensation. Some of the common working fields for BSc Nursing graduates are the Indian Red Cross Society, the Indian Nursing Council, State Nursing Council and various other nursing organisations along with government and private hospitals and nursing homes. 

Key Roles and Responsibilities of a Nurse

Following are the duties that a nurse has to perform daily:

• Providing first aid

• Observing a patient for existing or new symptoms

• Creating and maintaining medical records

• Ensuring a patient is getting the required medication as prescribed by the doctor

• Interacting with a patient on a day-to-day basis and guiding a patient on the best practices that might help them

• Assisting doctors and healthcare specialists in setting up equipment and carrying out medical procedures

Skills Required for a Nursing Career

Nursing can, by no means, be considered an easy job. It is a demanding career pathway and requires a person who is dedicated to taking care of the unwell. A nursing aspirant must already have or be prepared to develop the following skills if he/she wants to build a successful career in Nursing.

Strong Communication Skills

Nurses need to communicate with doctors and patients throughout the day.

Ability to Work Under Pressure

Nurses should be able to look beyond the long working hours and unfavourable working conditions in their line of work.

Ability to Think in a Critical Situation

Nurses are often the first responders in a hospital and the action that they take can sometimes make all the difference between life and death.

Attentiveness 

Since nurses spend the most time with a patient, they are the best person to judge if there is any change in the condition or symptoms of a patient.

Empathy and Compassion

Nurses have to take care that they do not insult a person's pain, religion, physical and mental condition etc.

Also Read: List of Nursing Entrance Exams in India 2022

ANM Vs GNM Vs BSc Nursing: Which One to Choose

If you have completed your 12th Grade from a non-science stream, ANM is your only option to get into a nursing career. After completing the ANM program and getting registered as a nurse, a candidate can pursue a GNM course, which will make him/her eligible to go for a BSc (N) Post Basic program. If you are from a science stream and wish to gain experience and start a career before gaining higher education, a GNM course would be your best bet. GNM graduates can either go for a BSc (N) Basic or BSc (N) Post Basic program. GNM candidates with at least two years of work experience are also eligible to join B.SC (N) Distance programs.

A science stream candidate who wishes to finish studies before starting a job should consider a BSc in Nursing program as that opens up prospects to pursue an MSc course. Once a candidate has completed MSc, they can then go for further studies such as a PhD or apply for a job.

ANM Vs GNM Vs BSc Nursing: Key Highlights

Top ANM, GNM and BSc Nursing Colleges in India

Some of the top GNM, ANM and BSc Nursing colleges in India are listed below:

If you have any doubt or queries regarding which of the three courses would be the best for you, call us at 1800-572-877 or fill out our QnA form. Our education experts will provide you with all the relevant information and help you find the right college. 

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