Medical entrance tests become rather easy once you ask the right questions and get the right answers… India's medical education system currently draws a parallel with galloping inflation wherein 'too much of money is chasing too few goods.' The number of MBBS seats available in India across +70 medical colleges totals around 65,000. BDS seats number approximately 25,000. And for these 90,000 seats, more than 12 lakh candidates register for the national-level entrance exam – National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET). The competition is mind boggling, to say the least. And the pressure on students, immense. We have been tracking medical admissions for the last five years. Where there were over 50 medical entrance exaninations till 2015, the number has now dwindled to just three! On the other side, the number of medical aspirants has been on a constant rise, almost doubling over this period. Post 2016 when NEET replaced all other medical entrance examinations, except those conducted by AIIMS and JIPMER, the candidates were saved from writing anywhere close to 20 to 30 entrance exams to secure a seat. Logically, it made sense to conduct NEET as it allowed institutions to provide admissions based on a single merit list. It saved lots of time, money, energy and stress. Post NEET, we have been facing a barrage of questions from medical aspirants and their parents. They are mostly confused about the nature of NEET as it exists now, along with the other two entrance tests – AIIMS MBBS and JIPMER MBBS. As a dedicated student advisor, we thought we were duty-bound to address these doubts and clear them. This Medical Almanac is the culmination of our efforts to help the students in need. Published in a reader-friendly QnA format, the Almanac addresses the most common doubts raised by aspirants regarding the admission process, courses, eligibility, application processes, syllabi preparation, cut-offs, counselling and reservations in undergraduate medical courses alongside prospects in other medical professions. The Medical Almanac is an effort on our part to help you prepare in the right direction to enter this noble domain! STUDYING MEDICINE WHO, WHERE, HOW AND MORE For many students in India, pursuing an MBBS or: BDS degree remains the most validiand legitimate pathway to becoming a medical profes-…….. Nagsional One can not only become part of a profession that is universally 3 respected and in perennial demand, but also gain the opportunity topursue a wide range of specializations depending on one's interest and earn a . lucrative income while at it.. . The high demand for MBBS and BDS is best reflected in the numbers released in 2018 by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), which was then the primary body responsible for conducting India's single window. . national level medical entrance exam – the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET). As per the CBSE, 12,69,922 students appeared in NEET (UG) 2018, competing for admissions to 65,000 MBBS and 35,000 BDS seats offered in medical and dental colleges across the country. The newly setup National Testing Agency (NTA) is now entrusted with the responsibility of conducting NEET 2019. Earlier announced as a computer based test, the entrance exam, however, will be a pen and paper based test for 2019. It is, however, "expected to be a computer based in the coming years thereafter. Students aspiring to pursue a vocation in the medical field can find here answers to all the questions they may have with regard to eligibility, application process, exam, results and counselling. Details regarding the various medical courses they can pursue, the duration of medical degrees, brief introductions and to the current MBBS and BDS entrance examinations in India, the number of seats available, the rules they should keep in mind and other important information can be also be availed in this almanac. In case a doubt or query still remains unanswered or is not covered here, students are most welcome to write to us at https://www.careers360.com/ gna for an answer. ABOUT OTHER MEDICAL DOMAINS I fone dreams of becoming a medical professional, serve the sick and needy W and gain both emotional satisfaction and financial security, MBBS and BDS are but only two ways of charting a path in the vast arena of medical i education. In terms of conventional allopathic pursuits alone, one has the chance to pursue a career in pharmacy, an integral and well-regarded aspect of healthcare. If one is passionate about working for the medical care and treatment of animals, birds and livestock, there is the option of pursuing Veterinary Sciences. And ofcourse, there are the AYUSH courses, providing one with an avenue to become a doctor in the traditionally respected and increasingly recognized medical sciences of Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Unani, Yoga, Siddha and Naturopathy, to name just a few. Even an MBBS or BDS graduate has the option of pursuing careers in different specializations at PG level as well as apply for Central Government jobs in their field. The :About Other Medical Domains' section of this Almanac introduces students to the career choices they have outside of MBBS and BDS, or even post MBBS. While the list is not exhaustive, students intenton pursuing a career in healthcare can take a look at some of the answers contained within and become aware of some of the highly rewarding possibilities that await them in the field: of medicine.