National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences

What courses does National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences offer?

National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru offers roughly ten programme families spanning undergraduate, postgraduate, super-speciality and doctoral levels, all concentrated on mental health, neurosciences and allied clinical fields. At the UG level it runs B.Sc Nursing (4.0 years) and allied-health B.Sc programmes (3.0 years) in Anaesthesia Technology, Medical Imaging Technology and Clinical Neurophysiology Technology. At PG level it offers MD (3.0 years), MPH (2.0 years), M.Sc (2.0 years), M.Sc Nursing (2.0 years) and the newly introduced MA Clinical Psychology (M.Clin.Psy, 2.0 years). Its super-speciality tier covers DM and MCh (both 3.0 years), and its research tier is the PhD (3.0 years). As an institution approved by UGC and NMC, NIMHANS admits students chiefly through its own NIMHANS Entrance Test, while MD, DM and MCh seats are filled via the national INI CET and INI SS route.

Because every NIMHANS programme sits inside the mental-health and neurosciences ecosystem, aspirants are effectively choosing not just a degree level but a clinical specialisation. The table below sets out the exact duration, latest fee on record, seats, eligibility and accepted exam for each programme so applicants can compare them side by side.

Course-Wise Fees, Duration & Eligibility (2026)

This table lists the core programmes at National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences with their level, duration, latest total fee on record, seat intake, eligibility and the entrance exam accepted. It answers the most common aspirant question: what does each NIMHANS course cost, how long is it, and who can apply. Read each row as a self-contained programme profile; the fees shown are the latest figures on record and are not tied to a specific admission session, so confirm the current-year fee on the official NIMHANS source before applying. Where a value is not on record it is marked "n/a".

A clear pattern emerges across the fee column: the medical and public-health programmes at NIMHANS carry the highest fees, with MCh at Rs 2,29,000, MD at Rs 2,05,000, DM at Rs 1,91,000 and MPH at Rs 1,83,000, while the M.Sc and M.Sc Nursing routes are the most affordable PG options at Rs 38,200 each and the PhD is lowest at Rs 32,000. B.Sc Nursing, at Rs 1,77,000 for 50 seats, is the flagship UG entry point. Note the dual admission channel: NIMHANS-conducted testing governs nursing, M.Sc, MPH, MA Clinical Psychology and PhD entry, whereas MD, DM and MCh are tied to the national INI CET and INI SS cycles. Since fees are the latest on record and not year-stamped, verify the exact current-session amount on the official NIMHANS website before you pay.

Flagship & Most Popular Programmes at National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences

The most sought-after programmes at NIMHANS are its clinical psychology, psychiatry (MD) and neuroscience super-speciality courses, because NIMHANS is India's apex centre in these fields and admission is highly competitive. The headline development for 2026 is that NIMHANS has replaced its M.Phil in Clinical Psychology with the new RCI-compliant MA Clinical Psychology (M.Clin.Psy) degree, following a Rehabilitation Council of India nomenclature revision. This 2-year programme retains 32 seats (22 All-India, 7 Karnataka domicile, and 3 foreign/sponsored), admits candidates through an entrance examination, and its first batch commenced in the July 2026 session; completing it makes graduates eligible for RCI registration as licensed clinical psychologists, which is what drives its demand.

On the medical side, the MD (3.0 years, Rs 2,05,000, 37 seats via INI CET) is a marquee choice for MBBS graduates who want to specialise in psychiatry and allied disciplines at a national institute, and the super-speciality DM and MCh (both 3.0 years, admitted through INI CET and INI SS) attract neurology and neurosurgery aspirants. Among UG applicants, B.Sc Nursing (4.0 years, Rs 1,77,000, 50 seats) is the flagship entry route, given NIMHANS's psychiatric-nursing depth, and the PhD (3.0 years, Rs 32,000) anchors the institute's strong research reputation. The MPH (2.0 years, Rs 1,83,000, 10 seats) is popular with medical and social-science graduates who want a public-health career.

How to Choose the Right Course at National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences

The right NIMHANS course depends on your qualifying degree and the clinical or research career you are targeting, and the institute's structure makes this mapping fairly clear. If you are a 10+2 science student, your entry points are B.Sc Nursing (Rs 1,77,000, 50 seats, 4.0 years) for a psychiatric-nursing career or the 3.0-year allied-health B.Sc streams in Anaesthesia Technology, Medical Imaging Technology or Clinical Neurophysiology Technology if you want a technology-focused hospital role. Both are entered through NIMHANS's own entrance testing.

If you hold a relevant bachelor's degree and want a psychology, research or public-health path, weigh the MA Clinical Psychology (M.Clin.Psy) for RCI-registered clinical practice (32 seats, entrance-based), the M.Sc or M.Sc Nursing (Rs 38,200, 2.0 years) for specialised science and nursing careers, or the MPH (Rs 1,83,000, 10 seats) if you come from an MBBS, BDS, veterinary or allied PG background and want to work in population health. Medical graduates should target the MD (Rs 2,05,000, 37 seats via INI CET), then progress to DM or MCh super-speciality training (Rs 1,91,000 and Rs 2,29,000 respectively, via INI CET and INI SS) for neurology and neurosurgery careers. Researchers and future academics should aim for the PhD (Rs 32,000, 3.0 years), which builds on an MD/MS/MDS or a relevant master's with at least 55%. Match your eligibility and desired outcome to the programme first, then confirm the current-session fee and exam window on the official NIMHANS source.

Frequently Asked Questions: National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences Courses 2026

What courses are offered at National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences?

NIMHANS, Bengaluru offers about ten programme families across UG, PG, super-speciality and doctoral levels: B.Sc Nursing (4.0 years) and allied-health B.Sc (3.0 years) at UG; MD, MPH, M.Sc, M.Sc Nursing and the new MA Clinical Psychology (M.Clin.Psy) at PG; DM and MCh at super-speciality level; and PhD for research. All are centred on mental health, neurosciences and allied clinical fields, and admission is via the NIMHANS Entrance Test or, for MD/DM/MCh, INI CET and INI SS.

What is the fee for B.Sc Nursing at National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences?

The latest B.Sc Nursing total fee on record at NIMHANS is Rs 1,77,000 for the 4.0-year programme, which has 50 seats. Eligibility is 10+2 with Physics, Chemistry and Biology and a minimum 45% aggregate, with an age requirement of 17-25 years, and admission is through the NIMHANS Entrance Test. This fee is the latest figure on record and is not tied to a specific session, so confirm the current-year amount on the official NIMHANS website before applying.

How long are the courses at National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences?

Course duration at NIMHANS ranges from 2 to 4 years depending on level. B.Sc Nursing runs 4.0 years and allied-health B.Sc programmes 3.0 years; PG programmes such as MPH, M.Sc, M.Sc Nursing and MA Clinical Psychology are 2.0 years, while MD is 3.0 years. Super-speciality DM and MCh are 3.0 years each, and the PhD is 3.0 years. Applicants should pick the duration that fits their qualifying degree and career timeline.

What is the eligibility for MD at National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences?

The MD at NIMHANS requires an MBBS with a completed internship and registration with the Medical Council, with admission through INI CET. The programme is 3.0 years long, has 37 seats, and carries a latest fee on record of Rs 2,05,000. It is one of the institute's most competitive PG routes for doctors specialising in psychiatry and allied disciplines, so confirm the current INI CET cycle and fee on the official source.

Which is the best course at National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences?

There is no single best course; the strongest choices depend on your goal, but the clinical psychology, MD psychiatry and neuroscience super-speciality programmes are the most sought-after at NIMHANS. The new MA Clinical Psychology (M.Clin.Psy), which replaced M.Phil Clinical Psychology from the July 2026 batch, is the flagship RCI route for clinical psychologists, while the MD (37 seats) and the DM/MCh super-specialities lead the medical track. B.Sc Nursing and the PhD are top picks for UG and research aspirants respectively.

What is the seat intake for MA Clinical Psychology at National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences?

The MA Clinical Psychology (M.Clin.Psy) at NIMHANS has 32 seats, split as 22 All-India, 7 Karnataka domicile and 3 foreign/sponsored. This 2-year, RCI-compliant programme replaced the earlier M.Phil in Clinical Psychology after a Rehabilitation Council of India nomenclature revision, and its first batch commenced in the July 2026 session. Admission is through an entrance examination, and graduates become eligible for RCI registration as clinical psychologists.

How many seats are available in MD, MCh and MPH at National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences?

NIMHANS offers 37 seats in MD, 10 seats in MCh and 10 seats in MPH. MD (3.0 years, Rs 2,05,000) admits MBBS graduates via INI CET; MCh (3.0 years, Rs 2,29,000) is a super-speciality programme admitting MS/DNB holders through INI CET and INI SS; and MPH (2.0 years, Rs 1,83,000) admits MBBS/BDS/veterinary or relevant PG graduates via the NIMHANS Entrance Test. Confirm the current-session seat matrix and fees on the official NIMHANS source.

Recent Updates (2026)

National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) has transitioned its M.Phil in Clinical Psychology programme to the new RCI-compliant MA Clinical Psychology (M.Clin.Psy) degree, following a Rehabilitation Council of India nomenclature revision. The new 2-year programme retains 32 seats (22 All-India, 7 Karnataka domicile, 3 foreign/sponsored) with admission via entrance examination, and its first batch commenced in the July 2026 session.