Lady Hardinge Medical College's Review and Verdict by CollegeDekho

Campus at a Glimpse

Lady Hardinge Medical College is one of the oldest and most prestigious medical colleges in India, with an interesting historical background. Established in 1914, the college is 110 years old. It is affiliated with the Faculty of Medical Sciences, Delhi University, and is funded by the Indian government. The college was established with the motive of mitigating the difficulties faced by Indian women in studying medicine. Smt. Sucheta Kriplani Hospital and the Kalawati Saran Child Hospital are the two teaching hospitals of Lady Hardinge Medical College. In terms of facilities, the college offers its students smart classrooms, auditoriums, laboratories, sports, a library and many other facilities. Apart from that, Lady Hardinge Medical College has an anti-ragging cell, a National Service Scheme Cell, an Internal Complaints Committee Cell, and an Internal Quality Assurance Cell.

At the undergraduate level, Lady Hardinge Medical College offers an MBBS programme bifurcated into four divisions: the first professional MBBS (12-month), the second professional MBBS (17-month), the third professional MBBS part I (12-month), and the third professional MBBS part II (12-month). Postgraduate programmes in the college comprise MD/MS courses, M.Ch (Paediatric Surgery), MDS (Oral Maxillofacial Surgery), and DM Neonatology. PG programmes at LHMC started in 1954 and are open to both males and females. Initially started as an all-women college, Lady Hardinge Medical College allows admission to male students for postgraduate admission. However, MBBS is offered exclusively to females. The first MBBS batch at Lady Hardinge Medical College graduated in 1923. There have been over 9,265 MBBS students graduating from the college since 1914. 

Let us look deeper into the other aspects of Lady Hardinge Medical College, if you are considering the college for admission or internships. 

Lady Hardinge Medical College Ranking

NIRF Ranking: Drop in Ranks!

Our Take 

As per the NIRF Ranking in the past three years, Lady Hardinge Medical College has showcased a downward trajectory from 22nd rank in 2021 to 29th rank in 2022 to 31st rank in 2023. It has dropped down 9 places, which signifies a fall in the college’s performance relating to Teaching, Learning & Resources (TLR), Research and Professional Practice (RP), Graduation Outcomes (GO), Outreach and Inclusivity (OI) and Peer Perception(PR). However, on the brighter side, LHMC Delhi is in the top 50 list of best medical colleges in India as per the NIRF Report. 

Lady Hardinge Medical College Academia and Batch Size

LHMC Delhi Academic Composition

Lady Hardinge Medical College academia is a mixture of classroom learning, assessments, practicals, and a 12-month internship. 

Lady Hardinge Medical College admission is based on NEET UG for the MBBS programme and NEET PG for postgraduate programmes. Students need to meet the LHMC Delhi cutoff to confirm their seats. Lady Hardinge Medical College MBBS cutoff is released separately for seats under All-India Quota and State-Quota. Candidates can have a look at the NEET UG cutoff 2023 in the table below to get an idea of the opening and closing ranks for admission to Lady Hardinge Medical College.

Our Take

The table shows that the NEET cutoff for the All-India general category quota was 627 in 2023. It signifies that if you are a general category candidate, you need to obtain a rank of 627 or above to get yourself enrolled in the MBBS programme at Lady Hardinge Medical College. You must keep in mind that the cutoff will be different for State-Quota seats.

LHMC Delhi Batch Size

In the case of the MBBS programme, Lady Hardinge Medical College batch size is 240. The seats were increased from 200 to 240 in 2019-20. In the case of PG programmes, the seat intake limit is 174. It increased from 162 in 2019-20 to 174 in 2020-21.

Comparing the 2022 and 2023 NIRF data of Lady Hardinge Medical College, the student counts for MBBS programme increased from 1076 in 2022 to 1118 in 2023. There was an increase of 45 students in the PG programmes from 414 in 2022 to 439 in 2023. 

Our Take

Analysing the data, it is evident that there has been an upward trajectory in the number of students enrolled in Lady Hardinge Medical College. It might be because there is no service bond at LHMC. In most of the medical colleges under Delhi University, students need to sign a surety bond. The bond states that if, under any circumstances, a student leaves the college, he/she will be liable to pay a sum of INR 3,00,000 for the loss of a seat.

LHMC Fees

The fees are different for all the Lady Hardinge Medical College courses. For the MBBS programme, the total fee is INR 9,040. The annual fee ranges from INR 13,000 - 39,000 for MD courses. For PG Diploma courses, the Lady Hardinge Medical College annual fee is INR 26,000. The annual fee for MS programmes is INR 39,000.

Our Take

Compared to other medical colleges, the MBBS fees at Lady Hardinge Medical College are reasonable. The total fee for an MBBS degree is INR 9,040, which means the annual fee is INR 1,808 for 5 years.

Lady Hardinge Medical College Infrastructure

Classrooms

There are a total of 10 classrooms in Lady Hardinge Medical College. All these classrooms are smart classrooms with modern and updated audio-visual installations.

Auditorium

Lady Hardinge Medical College has two auditoriums on its college premises. Most of the academic and cultural events take place in these auditoriums. The most talked-about between them is the Swarn Jayanti Auditorium, equipped with the latest technologies like audio-visual equipment.

LHMC Hospital 

Lady Hardinge Medical College has a hospital on the college campus. In 2022, there were 17 operation theatres, 1,252 beds, 9 ICUs and 6 mobile vans.

Library

Lady Hardinge Medical College has a fully automated library. In terms of resources, the library has 38,000 books and subscriptions to 265 online national and international journals and 280 printed journals. The library is open on all days, irrespective of weekends and public holidays.

Cafe/Hangout Areas

Lady Hardinge Medical College has 4 special hangout areas that are student-favourites. Alam Bhaiya's Maggi Shop operates from 11 in the morning to 3 at night. Kamal Ki Dukan (KKD) is the daytime hotspot for students to hang out between classes. The other 2 hangout spots of LHMC Delhi are RDA and Doctor's/Medico’s Cafe, serving snacks like pasta, sandwiches, paranthasm and hot/cold beverages.

Hostel

Lady Hardinge Medical College has accommodation facilities for both male and female students as well as faculty members. LHMC Delhi has a total of four hostel blocks: North and South Block, West Block, Centenary A and Centenary B. Each hostel is equipped with basic amenities like beds, table, chair, mini fridge, cooler and so on. The hostel fee is INR 1,160. As per the 2021-22 data, the total number of MBBS students staying in LHMC Delhi hostels was 957. A total of 30 faculty members stayed in the college residence facility in 2021-22.

Students have shared that the hostel rooms are spacious and clean. The bathroom is regularly cleaned. However, water shortage is an issue at times. The mess is located within the hostel premises, and the food is considerably delectable.

Sports 

LHMC Delhi has adequate facilities for sports and co-curricular activities. Presently, the college has a basketball court, football field, swimming pool, lawn tennis court, table tennis table, badminton court and a gym.

Events

Lady Hardinge Medical College organises two cultural fests. Splash is the inter-college event organised every year and many celebrities like Zakir Khan, Benny Dayal, and many more have performed in the event. Another event is the Cobweb. It is an intra-college fest organised annually.

Other Facilities 

LHMC Delhi has a water recycling unit, 8 recreation rooms, a bank branch, wi-fi, ATM and has adopted several eco-friendly initiatives like rainwater harvesting, tree plantation drives, Kaya Kalp Abhiyan, Swach Bharat Abhiyan and more.

Our Take 

Lady Hardinge Medical College has provided all the necessary facilities that are necessary for a student's holistic development. However, there are a few areas that the college needs to look into. They are-

• The college doesn't have any conference rooms. 
• Even though the library is automated, the college doesn't have any e-books or digital databases.
• The library seating capacity is only 8, which is very low compared to the number of students enrolled in the college.
• The campus is clean. However, there are a large number of stray dogs roaming around in the hostel premises. It becomes difficult for students who have a fear of dogs. The college should provide a specific area for the canines, thus, making it convenient for the students to move out of the hostel for their classes or hospital duties.

Lady Hardinge Medical College Placements and Internships

LHMC Delhi-Internships

Lady Hardinge Medical College provides internships to students in its hospital itself. Apart from LHMC Delhi students, students from other medical colleges also come to this college for internships. The stipend that the students receive at the time of internship is decided by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The current stipend offered to the interns in LHMC Delhi is INR 26,300. The stipend amount was declared through an office memorandum released by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on July 9, 2021. You can have a look at the snapshot of the office memorandum below:

LHMC Delhi-Placements

MBBS|Course Duration- 5 Years

Our Take 

In the case of MBBS programmes, a large percentage of students have opted for postgraduation. It is common in medical colleges where students prefer higher education than opting for placements. At present, a MD degree holds more value than only an MBBS degree. Compared to 2020, the number of students placed was 5 less than in 2021. Similarly, fewer students opted for higher studies as compared to 2020. Even though the numbers are negligible and would not create much of a difference, LHMC Delhi must be careful that the placement statistics do not show a downward trend.

PG 3-Year Programme

Our Take 

For the postgraduate programmes, the placement rate is 50.22% for 2023. The placement percentage was 91.59% in 2022. However, we cannot draw any comparison because there is a significant difference in the number of students who graduated. Lady Hardinge Medical College placements must be improved as 123 students didn't get placed or opted out. Currently, the college doesn't have any international tie-ups with foreign universities, thus, limiting the scope of exposure for students. Also, the low median package of only INR 1,20,000 cannot be ignored.

Lady Hardinge Medical College Diversity and Demographics

The 240 MBBS seats offered by Lady Hardinge Medical College every year are exclusively reserved for female candidates. However, in the case of post-graduate programmes, seats are available for both female and male candidates. Have a look at the LHMC Delhi student diversification on the gender, regional and social fronts; the data is retrieved from the NIRF Report 2023.

Lady Hardinge Medical College- Gender Diversity 

Our Take

Lady Hardinge Medical College’s MBBS programme is offered only to female students. Currently, there are 1118 students, which comprises 71.8% of the total students. For the postgraduate programmes, there are a total of 439 students, out of which 39.8% are male students. The numbers signify that students are keen to join the college. Moreover, many MBBS students on numerous online platforms have shared that the senior-junior bond is cordial. Within the college community, the seniors, referred to as ‘‘Di’, are helpful and are jovial every time they interact. 

Many students also shared that they were sceptical about joining an ‘all-girls’ college. However, they found it to be very interesting. There is no groupism culture, and every student is independent. Thus, it leads to a healthy competitive environment that provides the needed study environment and the motivation to pursue an MBBS degree.

Lady Hardinge Medical College- Regional Diversity 

Our Take

The data on LHMC Delhi’s regional diversity of students shows that there are more native students than those from outside Delhi. However, in the case of PG 3-year students, the diversity of native state and non-native students is considerably balanced. In the case of MBBS students, there is a possible reason that can account for the imbalance in numbers. Lady Hardinge Medical College is placed 10th in North India and 5th in New Delhi in the medical category as per the NIRF Ranking 2023. Thus, students' preferences can vary. Also, the seat availability aspect can be another factor.

Lady Hardinge Medical College- Social Diversity

Our Take

Interestingly, the percentage of students in the reserved category is higher than that of unreserved students. In the case of the MBBS programme, 56.5% of students belonged to the EWS/OBC/SC/ST categories. Similarly, 52.3% of PG students belong to the reserved categories. The numbers signify that reserved students get more flexibility in admission at LHMC. Another possible reason that hits the mark is the reasonable fees, thus, attracting a large pool of students belonging to the reserved categories.

Lady Hardinge Medical College Faculty and Administration

Lady Hardinge Medical College Faculty

Regarding faculty, Lady Hardinge Medical College currently has 283 faculty members enrolled. With a total of 1,557 students, the teacher-to-faculty ratio is 5:1. Faculty at Lady Hardinge Medical College are appointed through the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).

Presented below are some statistical highlights for Lady Hardinge Medical College faculty:

Key Highlights:

• The average teaching experience of the permanent faculty members is above 20 years.
• Over 170 faculty members out of 283, have a teaching experience of over a decade.
• 100% of the faculty members have MS/MD qualifications.
• Around 4.94% of the faculty has an MCh degree.
• 12 out of 283 faculty members are honoured with a doctorate degree.

Our Take

Considering the faculty and student count, the student-to-faculty ratio is great at 5:1. Moreover, the faculty qualification and experience mentioned in the table above signifies that there are sufficient highly qualified and experienced mentors to guide the students during their course of study as well as during internships. Scrolling through the Quora comments posted by Lady Hardinge Medical College students, we have also found that the quality of education provided by the professors is great. Furthermore, the feedback affirms that students get the necessary guidance as and when required, especially during the exam sessions.

Lady Hardinge Medical College Administration 

As of 2024, the present director of Lady Hardinge Medical College is Dr Subhash Giri. The management of LHMC Delhi is currently under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. It was taken over by the ministry in February of 1978 under an Act of Parliament. The college president is elected from one among the director professors. Usually, the faculty in the senior post is qualified to become the director of Lady Hardinge Medical College.

Our Take 

Administration-wise, students have shared mixed opinions. Co-operation of the administrative staff has been an issue. Considering the fact that Lady Hardinge Medical College is both a full-time educational institution and a multi-speciality hospital, discrepancies to some extent are bound to occur. However, while we give the college a benefit of doubt in such circumstances, LHMC management should have a look at the discrepancies and make the work environment suitable for both the students and staff.

Lady Hardinge Medical College Location

LHMC is located in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Marg, Connaught Place, New Delhi. Rajiv Chowk is the nearest metro station located at a distance of 1.9 km from the premises. At a distance of 2.1 km from the campus is the Shivaji Stadium metro station. The closest airport, Indira Gandhi International Airport, is 18.9 km away from Lady Hardinge Medical College. Bus options are plenty as well!

Our Take:

Lady Hardinge Medical College’s location in Connaught Place (CP) makes it easy for students and interns to travel, given that CP is one of the prime locations in New Delhi. All the bus and metro stations are within a 4-8 minute walking range from the college campus. Lady Hardinge Medical College’s location provides not only easy access by bus, train and metro but also with reasonable fare expenses.

Lady Hardinge Medical College Expectation vs Reality-CollegeDekho Verdict 

Lady Hardinge was the wife of the then-viceroy of India. Another reason behind the birth of the college was to commemorate Queen Mary's visit in 1911. As we have stated all the facts and details, we have concluded that the college is successfully serving its purpose in providing females to shine in the field of medicine. The fees are reasonable and the reserved category students have found this college to be very convenient in terms of expense and the quality of education provided. The facilities are apt and the students are satisfied with the maintenance of the hostel and mess facilities. The faculty are professional and experienced with over 50% of the teachers having an experience of over 10 years.

Behind the shiny armour, we cannot miss out on the rust that has pulled down the college’s performance. The NIRF Ranking over the years also highlights the same. The college has a lot of scope for improvement in terms of placements. The median salary package is within the range of INR 1 LPA - INR 1.2 LPA which is relatively low compared to the market value. The placement rate needs to be improved as well. Overall, the discrepancies are a few and improvement is achievable. A little work on the NIRF Ranking parameters will bring back the lost glory of Lady Hardinge Medical College in no time!

Final Review Verdict!