NIMHANS Admission 2026 is entrance-based for most UG, PG, doctoral, and super-specialty courses offered by the institute. As an Institute of National Importance (INI) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, every seat at NIMHANS is filled purely on entrance-exam merit — there is no management quota, no NRI quota, and no capitation fee.

• Two parallel admission tracks operate. Medical residency seats — MD Psychiatry, DM Neurology (Post-MBBS), M.Ch Neurosurgery (Post-MBBS), and MD Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation — are filled through the INI CET conducted by AIIMS New Delhi.
• Super-specialty DM and M.Ch seats for candidates already holding MD or MS degrees go through INI SS, also by AIIMS New Delhi.
• All remaining programmes — MClinPsy, MPSW, MPH, all M.Sc courses, PhD, PG Diplomas, and Fellowships — admit through the NIMHANS Entrance Test.
• 41 seats in MD Psychiatry for the July 2026 session (25 All India + 8 Karnataka Domicile + 6 North Eastern Domicile + 2 Sponsored)
• 32 seats each in MClinPsy and MPSW — India’s highest-intake dedicated mental health masters programmes
• INI CET 2026 last-allotted rank cutoffs: MD Psychiatry General All India rank 551; DM Neurology General rank 107; M.Ch Neurosurgery General rank 89.
• NIMHANS Entrance Test: 100 MCQs in 90 minutes; qualifying cutoff 50% for UR/OBC/EWS and 45% for SC/ST/PwBD

Commitment clause — read before accepting a seat: NIMHANS enforces a discontinuation bond on Institute-Support candidates who resign after joining. Medical programmes: Rs. 3,00,000 (exit before 1 month), Rs. 5,00,000 (between 1 and 6 months), Rs. 7,00,000 (after 6 months). Non-medical programmes: Rs. 40,000 to Rs. 2,00,000. Accept a seat only after confirming full commitment to the course duration.

Read what current students and alumni say about NIMHANS on the NIMHANS Reviews page.

1. NIMHANS MD Psychiatry/DM/M.Ch Admission 2026
2. NIMHANS MClinPsy/MPSW/MPH Admission 2026
3. NIMHANS M.Sc and PG Diploma Admission 2026
4. NIMHANS PhD Admission 2026
5. Emoluments and Financial Support at NIMHANS
6. NIMHANS FAQs

NIMHANS MD Psychiatry/DM/M.Ch Admission 2026

Medical residency and super-specialty seats at NIMHANS are filled through two centrally-conducted examinations managed by AIIMS New Delhi. The INI CET covers post-MBBS entry for MD and 6-year DM/M.Ch programmes. INI SS is entrance exam for 3-year DM and M.Ch seats for candidates who already hold an MD, MS, or DNB degree. NIMHANS conducts its own admission formalities after AIIMS publishes seat allotment — MCC has no role here.

NIMHANS MD/DM/M.Ch Admission Dates 2026

INI SS exam dates for DM/M.Ch (Post-MD/MS category) are published separately by AIIMS New Delhi at aiimsexams.ac.in.

NIMHANS MD/DM/M.Ch Eligibility Criteria 2026

All applicants must hold a degree from an institution recognised by the Medical Council of India (now NMC). MBBS candidates must have completed the compulsory one-year rotatory internship and hold permanent state medical council registration before the date of admission.

Age limits (calculated as on July 1, 2026): MD Psychiatry: General/UR 32 years, OBC 35 years, SC/ST 37 years, Sponsored/Deputed 45 years. DM Neurology (Post-MBBS) and M.Ch Neurosurgery (Post-MBBS) via INI CET: 32 years with no OBC/SC/ST/EWS reservation and no age relaxation. DM and M.Ch via INI SS (Post-MD/DNB category): 37 years, Sponsored/Deputed 45 years — no OBC/SC/ST reservation applies.

Key insight: For DM Neurology (Post-MBBS) and M.Ch Neurosurgery (Post-MBBS), NIMHANS does not reserve OBC/SC/ST/EWS/PwBD seats, so no age relaxation applies — the 32-year ceiling is absolute. Candidates from these categories who cross 32 years should consider the Post-MD/DNB route via INI SS, where the age ceiling is 37 years.

NIMHANS MD/DM/M.Ch Selection Process 2026

INI CET route selection follows the INI CET rank. AIIMS New Delhi conducts centralised counselling covering all INI seats across AIIMS campuses, JIPMER, PGIMER, NIMHANS, and SCTIMST — over 80,000 candidates compete for approximately 1,300 INI seats nationally. INI CET July 2026 is a computer-based test of 200 MCQs in 3 hours with negative marking of -1/3 per wrong answer.

INI SS route selection follows INI SS exam rank. No OBC/SC/ST/EWS reservation applies. Sponsored category seats go to permanent employees of Central/State Government and Public Sector Undertakings, with preference: Indian Nationals first, then SAARC Nationals, then other Foreign Nationals.

Stipends for Institute-Support medical residents: Junior Resident — Rs. 56,100 (Year 1), Rs. 57,800 (Year 2), Rs. 59,500 (Year 3). Senior Resident (applicable to 6-year DM/M.Ch post-MBBS programmes) — Rs. 67,700 (Year 4), Rs. 69,700 (Year 5), Rs. 71,800 (Year 6). INI SS Senior Residents receive the same SR-tier stipends.

NIMHANS PG Brochures 2026: Download Here

How to Apply for MD/DM/M.Ch at NIMHANS?

Candidates apply through the INI CET or INI SS portal at aiimsexams.ac.in. Registration for INI CET July 2026 closed on April 25, 2026. After AIIMS publishes seat allocation results, shortlisted candidates report to NIMHANS on the designated admission date with all original certificates. Fees are paid at the institute on the day of joining via Debit Card, Credit Card, UPI, or Net Banking only. Documents required on admission day include: degree certificate, internship completion certificate, Medical Council registration, attempt certificate, transfer certificate, and for Sponsored candidates, a valid deputation letter from the employer.

NIMHANS MClinPsy/MPSW/MPH Admission 2026

Masters in Clinical Psychology (MClinPsy), Masters in Psychiatric Social Work (MPSW), and Master of Public Health (MPH) are the flagship non-medical masters programmes at NIMHANS. All three admit through the NIMHANS Entrance Test. With 32 seats each in MClinPsy and MPSW, these are the largest dedicated mental health masters programmes in India by intake, and Institute-Support selected candidates receive monthly emoluments — a feature unique to NIMHANS among Indian universities for these disciplines.

NIMHANS MClinPsy/MPSW/MPH Admission Dates 2026

NIMHANS MClinPsy/MPSW/MPH Eligibility Criteria 2026

• Karnataka Domicile seats: MClinPsy and MPSW each reserve 7 seats for Karnataka domicile candidates. A domicile certificate from the Tehsildar confirming 7 years of residence (or property ownership) in Karnataka must be uploaded at the time of applying and presented as the original on admission day.
• Foreign National seats: MClinPsy and MPSW each offer 3 seats under the Sponsored/Foreign National category. NMC recognition of the qualifying degree is required. Foreign Nationals are not eligible for emoluments from NIMHANS.

NIMHANS MClinPsy/MPSW/MPH Selection Process 2026

• Selection for MClinPsy, MPSW, and MPH is based solely on merit in the NIMHANS Entrance Test.
• There is no group discussion, personal interview, or additional written round.
• Qualifying cutoff: 50% for UR/OBC/EWS and 45% for SC/ST/PwBD.
• Separate merit lists are prepared per course and per category.

Tie-breaking order: (1) fewer attempts in the qualifying examination; (2) higher marks in the qualifying examination; (3) age as on date of commencement of course. A 5% reservation for PwBD (disability between 40% and 70%) applies to MClinPsy and MPSW. MPH sponsored-category seats carry no emoluments — applicants already drawing pay from employers are treated as sponsored and receive nothing from NIMHANS.

How to Apply for MClinPsy/MPSW/MPH at NIMHANS?

Applications are submitted online at nimhans.ac.in. A single applicant may apply for a maximum of three courses with separate application forms and fees for each. Government employees must route their application through the employer and upload a No Objection Certificate. Candidates awaiting final results may apply but must produce proof of passing on or before the date of admission. All documents uploaded digitally must be presented as originals on admission day — failure to produce originals results in disqualification.

NIMHANS M.Sc and PG Diploma Admission 2026

Six M.Sc programmes across Neurosciences, Nursing, Biostatistics, Medical Imaging Technology, and Yoga Therapy, three PG-level diploma and certificate programmes, and multiple one-year fellowship courses admit through the NIMHANS Entrance Test. Institute-Support M.Sc candidates receive Rs. 15,000 per month in emoluments. One entrance test covers both M.Sc Psychiatric Nursing and M.Sc Neuroscience Nursing — candidates may apply for both and are ranked separately for each.

NIMHANS M.Sc and PG Diploma Admission Dates 2026

NIMHANS M.Sc and PG Diploma Eligibility Criteria 2026

M.Sc Nursing Sponsored category note: The 3 Sponsored seats in each nursing M.Sc are open to in-service NIMHANS candidates only. Selection among Sponsored category applicants is based on inter-se seniority, subject to qualifying the entrance test regardless of marks obtained.

PG Diploma in Medical Devices Technology — interview component: This is the only non-PhD programme at NIMHANS combining an entrance test (70% weightage) with an interview (30% weightage) for final selection. No emoluments are paid. Age limit: 30 years.

NIMHANS M.Sc and PG Diploma Selection Process 2026

All M.Sc programmes select candidates on NIMHANS Entrance Test merit alone. Qualifying marks: 50% for UR/OBC/EWS and 45% for SC/ST/PwBD.

• M.Sc Psychiatric Nursing and Neuroscience Nursing share one entrance test paper but maintain separate merit lists and a separate application fee per course.
• Age limit for M.Sc programmes: 30 years (Institute Support) and 45 years (Sponsored/Deputed); NIMHANS-sponsored employees may apply up to age 48 for nursing M.Sc.
• PwBD reservation of 5% applies to all M.Sc programmes except the two nursing M.Sc courses.

How to Apply for M.Sc and PG Diploma at NIMHANS?

Applications are submitted online at nimhans.ac.in. A candidate may apply for a maximum of three courses with a separate fee for each. Experience certificates (mandatory for nursing M.Sc), domicile certificates (for Karnataka Domicile seat claimants), and qualification documents must be uploaded at the time of applying. Fees on the day of admission are collected via Debit Card, Credit Card, UPI, or Net Banking — no other payment mode is accepted.

NIMHANS PhD Admission 2026

NIMHANS PhD admission spans 25 departments including Psychiatry, Neurology, Neurosurgery, Clinical Psychology, Psychiatric Social Work, Biostatistics, Epidemiology, Neurochemistry, Neurophysiology, and Basic Neurosciences. The PhD programme is a fully funded research position — Institute-Support scholars receive Rs. 37,000 to Rs. 42,000 per month, making NIMHANS one of India’s most remunerative research environments in health sciences. A shortlist ratio of 1:6 (candidates called for interview per available seat) applies across departments.

NIMHANS PhD Admission Dates 2026

NIMHANS PhD Eligibility Criteria 2026

For medical disciplines: MBBS, MD, MS, or DNB from an NMC-recognised institution. For non-medical disciplines: M.Sc, MA, MSW, BAMS, B.E, B.Tech, or equivalent with minimum 55% aggregate (50% for SC/ST/PwBD) from a UGC-recognised institution. Grades-only transcripts require the university to certify the marks range — NIMHANS does not accept self-conversions.

Duration: 3 to 5 years. Qualifying the entrance test and interview does not guarantee PhD admission — final selection is also subject to the availability of eligible research guides in the chosen department. NIMHANS publishes PhD results on June 1 and conducts interviews on June 2 to 3, so candidates must be ready to travel to Bengaluru within 24 hours of result publication. No TA or DA is provided.

NIMHANS PhD Selection Process 2026

Selection uses a two-stage process. Stage 1: NIMHANS Entrance Test (weighted 70%); minimum qualifying score is 50% — candidates below this threshold are not called for interview. Stage 2: Interview (weighted 30%), assessing research aptitude, subject knowledge, and prior publications or presentations. Final merit combines both scores. Candidates applying under Institute Support cannot switch to External Fellowship category or vice versa after submitting the application.

How to Apply for PhD at NIMHANS?

Applications are submitted online at nimhans.ac.in. Scanned copies required: qualifying degree certificate, marks cards of all years, research publications (if any), external fellowship award letter for CSIR/UGC/ICMR JRF or SRF holders, NOC from employer (for government employees), and caste or domicile certificates as applicable. A maximum of three courses per applicant. Late submissions and offline applications are not accepted under any circumstances. All communications are posted to the NIMHANS website and notice board only — no individual intimations are sent.

Note: The PhD entrance result is announced on June 1 and interviews begin June 2. Shortlisted candidates must plan for immediate travel to Bengaluru. Book accommodation in advance when you submit your application — waiting for the result announcement to book leaves fewer than 24 hours and hotels near NIMHANS fill quickly during admission season.

Emoluments and Financial Support at NIMHANS

NIMHANS does not offer scholarships in the conventional sense. It provides monthly emoluments (stipends) to candidates selected under the Institute-Support category. Candidates in the Sponsored or Deputed category draw pay from their employers and are not eligible for any emoluments from NIMHANS. Foreign Nationals under the Sponsored or Foreign National category receive no financial support from the institute.

Hostel accommodation is available at NIMHANS at additional charges not included in any of the programme fees listed above. First-month emoluments are disbursed only after all joining formalities including pending documents are completed. Annual leave for Institute-Support candidates across most programmes is 30 days; leave cannot be carried forward to the next academic year.

NIMHANS Admission FAQs

Ques. Does NIMHANS conduct its own counselling for MD Psychiatry, or does MCC handle it?

Ans. NIMHANS is an Institute of National Importance (INI) and is fully exempt from MCC counselling. Seat allotment for MD Psychiatry, DM Neurology (Post-MBBS), M.Ch Neurosurgery (Post-MBBS), and MD PM&R is done through the INI CET centralised process managed by AIIMS New Delhi. After AIIMS publishes seat allocation, NIMHANS conducts its own on-campus admission formalities. MCC has no role in NIMHANS seat allotment at any stage.

Ques. What is the NIMHANS Entrance Test 2026 pattern, and is there negative marking?

Ans. The NIMHANS Entrance Test for non-INI CET programmes consists of 100 multiple-choice questions to be answered in 90 minutes. Each correct answer carries 1 mark. Each wrong answer deducts 0.25 marks. Unanswered questions carry no penalty. A separate entrance test is conducted for each course offered at NIMHANS. The qualifying cutoff is 50% for UR/OBC/EWS and 45% for SC/ST/PwBD. Only the PG Diploma in Medical Devices Technology additionally requires an interview round.

Ques. Can OBC or SC/ST candidates get age relaxation for DM Neurology (Post-MBBS) and M.Ch Neurosurgery at NIMHANS?

Ans. No. For DM Neurology (Post-MBBS) via INI CET and M.Ch Neurosurgery (Post-MBBS) via INI CET, NIMHANS does not reserve seats for OBC/SC/ST/EWS/PwBD — and therefore no age relaxation applies. The age ceiling of 32 years (as on July 1, 2026) is absolute for all candidates in these programmes. Candidates from reserved categories who are above 32 should consider the Post-MD/DNB DM Neurology route via INI SS, where the ceiling is 37 years.

Ques. How many courses can I apply for at NIMHANS in one session?

Ans. A candidate may apply for a maximum of three courses at NIMHANS in one session. Each course requires a separate online application form and a separate fee payment. Multiple applications from a single applicant for the same course are not permitted. If selected in more than one course, the candidate must indicate a preference at the time of admission. INI CET and INI SS applications are managed separately through the AIIMS portal and are not counted within this three-course NIMHANS limit.

Ques. Is there any management quota or NRI quota at NIMHANS?

Ans. No. NIMHANS is a fully government-funded Institute of National Importance with no management quota, no NRI quota, and no capitation fee of any kind. All admissions are based on entrance exam merit (NIMHANS Entrance Test, INI CET, or INI SS). Foreign Nationals may apply only under the Sponsored or Foreign National category for specific eligible programmes, subject to NMC recognition of their qualifying degree and Ministry of External Affairs clearance.

Ques. What is the MClinPsy selection process at NIMHANS — is there a personal interview?

Ans. MClinPsy at NIMHANS selects candidates based solely on merit in the NIMHANS Entrance Test — 100 MCQs in 90 minutes with negative marking. There is no group discussion, personal interview, or additional written test. The 32-seat matrix for MClinPsy 2026 covers 22 All India, 7 Karnataka Domicile, and 3 Foreign National (Sponsored) seats. Institute-Support selected candidates receive Rs. 25,000 per month in emoluments plus Rs. 15,000 annual contingency — a combination available at no other Indian institution for clinical psychology masters training.

Ques. What is the penalty for discontinuing a NIMHANS course after joining?

Ans. NIMHANS enforces a binding discontinuation penalty for all Institute-Support candidates who leave after joining. For medical programmes: Rs. 3,00,000 if you exit before 1 month; Rs. 5,00,000 between 1 and 6 months; Rs. 7,00,000 after 6 months. For non-medical programmes: Rs. 40,000 before 1 month; Rs. 2,00,000 thereafter. These penalties apply from the first day of joining. Sponsored and Deputed candidates are governed by their employer’s leave and service rules instead.

Ques. Does NIMHANS offer PhD admission without a CSIR or UGC NET fellowship?

Ans. Yes. NIMHANS admits PhD scholars under Institute Support without requiring a prior external fellowship like CSIR NET or UGC JRF. Candidates qualify through the NIMHANS Entrance Test (70% weightage) and interview (30% weightage). Institute-Support scholars receive Rs. 37,000 to Rs. 42,000 per month directly from NIMHANS. Candidates who hold a valid external fellowship (JRF or SRF from UGC/CSIR/ICMR/DBT/DST) may apply under the External Fellowship category and activate the fellowship after joining NIMHANS. Cross-category switching after application submission is not permitted.

Ques. What Karnataka domicile seats are available at NIMHANS, and what documents are needed?

Ans. Karnataka domicile candidates have reserved seats across most NIMHANS programmes: 8 seats in MD Psychiatry, 7 seats each in MClinPsy and MPSW, 1 seat each in MPH, M.Sc Biostatistics, M.Sc Psychiatric Nursing, M.Sc Neuroscience Nursing, M.Sc Yoga Therapy, M.Sc Neuroscience, M.Sc Medical Imaging Technology, and several fellowship programmes, plus 5 seats in PG Diploma Medical Devices Technology. To claim Karnataka domicile, a certificate from the Tehsildar confirming 7 years of residence (or property ownership) in Karnataka is required. The certificate must be issued before the last date of application.

Ques. When does the NIMHANS PhD interview happen, and how much time does a shortlisted candidate have to prepare?

Ans. The NIMHANS PhD entrance result is announced on June 1, 2026, and the interviews are held on June 2 to 3, 2026 — giving shortlisted candidates less than 24 hours to prepare for travel. No TA or DA is provided by NIMHANS for interview travel. Notification is posted only on the NIMHANS website and notice board; no individual intimation is given. Candidates should book accommodation in Bengaluru in advance when applying, not after results are announced.