Confused between BAMS and BDS? Don’t worry! This detailed analysis of both courses will help you figure out the best option and also provide you with additional information. Read this Shiksha article to know more related to the BAMS and BDS courses.
BAMS vs BDS: How to Choose Between the Two?
BAMS and BDS are both undergraduate courses in the medical field. BAMS teaches the Ayurveda method of treatment. BDS teaches dental care and dental surgery. Both courses need a NEET UG score for admission. Students of both courses must also complete a 1 year internship during the program. If you are confused about which course to choose, you can read this article. By the end, you will understand the eligibility, the entrance process, the syllabus, and many other important details about both courses.
- BAMS vs BDS: Course Highlights
- BAMS vs BDS: Definition
- BAMS vs BDS: Eligibility Criteria
- BAMS vs BDS: Syllabus
- BAMS vs BDS: Top Colleges
BAMS vs BDS: Course Highlights
This section offers some key highlights of both courses for easy understanding. Read this table to have an overview of significant details related to them.
| Parameters |
BAMS |
BDS |
|---|---|---|
| Full Form |
Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery |
Bachelor of Dental Surgery |
| Course Level |
Undergraduate |
Undergraduate |
| Duration |
5.6 Years (4.6 Years + 1 Year of Mandatory Internship) |
5 Years (4 Years + 1 Year of Mandatory Internship) |
| Entrance Exam |
NEET UG |
|
| Average Course Fee |
INR 20,000 – 3,00,000 |
INR 50,000 – 12,00,000 |
| Average Salary |
INR 10,000 – 50,000 |
INR 4,00,000 – 10,00,000 |
| Specialisations |
Ayurvedic Medicine |
Dental Science |
| Top Recruiters |
Patanjali Ayurveda Limited, Vicco Laboratories, Dabur India Ltd, Surya Herbal Ltd, etc. |
Cipla, Dr Reddys Laboratories, Lupin, and so on. |
BAMS vs BDS: Definition
What is BAMS?
BAMS means Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery. It is one of the most popular courses in the AYUSH field. The course is 5.6 years long, and this time includes a 1-year mandatory internship. In this course, students learn both modern medicine and traditional Ayurveda. Most BAMS colleges in India take students through the NEET UG score. Some colleges also accept state entrance exams like KEAM and IPU CET for admission.
What is BDS?
BDS means Bachelor of Dental Surgery. It is one of the most popular courses after MBBS. Students who want to become dentists in the future choose this course. The course is 5 years long, and it includes a 1-year compulsory internship. The admission to all BDS colleges is based only on the NEET UG score. The Dental Council of India (DCI) controls and manages the syllabus and rules for this course.
Also Read:
BAMS vs BDS: Eligibility Criteria
See below table
| Parameters |
BAMS |
BDS |
|---|---|---|
| Education |
Passed Class 12th from a recognized board |
Passed Class 12th from a recognized board |
| Compulsory Subjects |
Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, and English. |
PCB in Class 12th |
| Minimum Percentage |
Minimum of 50% in Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics in 12th. |
Minimum of 60% in Class 12th. |
| Minimum Age |
Must be 17 years old. |
NA |
- BAMS vs BDS: Entrance Exams 2026
- To get admission to the top BAMS and BDS schools, students must go through the NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test) exam.
- See below for more details about both courses.
| Parameters |
BAMS |
BDS |
|---|---|---|
| Conducting Body |
National Testing Agency (NTA) |
National Testing Agency (NTA) |
| Mode of Exam |
Offline |
Offline |
| Entrance Exams |
NEET UG, KEAM, IPU CET, Merit-Based |
NEET UG |
| Entrance Exams Syllabus |
Botany, Physics, Chemistry, and Zoology |
Botany, Physics, Chemistry, and Zoology |
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BAMS vs BDS: Syllabus
- BAMS is a 5.6 year course that includes 1 year of internship and BDS is 5 year course that includes 1 year mandatory internship as well. So, let’s get a general overview of BAMS and BDS syllabus in India
BAMS Syllabus
- The syllabus of BAMS course covers a wide range of subjects in Ayurveda. The whole syllabus is divided into 4 professionals which includes subjects like Padartha Vigyan and Ayurved Itihasa, Rog-Nidan, Kayachikitsa, and more.
| BAMS Syllabus Year 1 | |
|---|---|
| Padartha Vigyan And Ayurved Itihas | Sanskrit |
| Kriya Shareera | Rachana Shareera |
| BAMS Syllabus Year 2 | |
| Dravyaguna Vigyan | Roga Nidan |
| Rasashastra Evam Bhaishajyakalpana | Bhaishajyakalpana |
| BAMS Syllabus Year 3 | |
| Agadtantra | Swasthavritta |
| Prasooti Tantra And Stri Roga | Kaumarbhritya Parichaya |
| BAMS Syllabus Year 4 | |
| Kayachikitsa | Panchakarma |
| Shalya Tantra | Shalakya Tantra |
BAMS vs BDS Topics you may be interested in:
- Admission to AYUSH courses through NEET
- List of colleges accepting NEET for BDS courses in India (East & West Zones)
BDS Syllabus
The BDS syllabus consists of General Human Physiology and Biochemistry, Nutrition and Dietetics, General and Dental Pharmacology. The theoretical subjects are divided into 8 semesters and for practical knowledge, 1 year of paid internship is provided.
| BDS Syllabus Semester 1 | |
|---|---|
| General Human Anatomy including Embryology and Histology | General Human Physiology and Biochemistry, Nutrition, and Dietetics |
| Dental Anatomy, embryology, and Oral Histology | - |
| BDS Syllabus Semester 2 | |
| Dental Materials | Preclinical Prosthodontics and Crown and Bridge |
| BDS Syllabus Semester 3 | |
| General Pathology and Microbiology | General and Dental Pharmacology and Therapeutics |
| Preclinical Conservative Dentistry | - |
| BDS Syllabus Semester 4 | |
| Preclinical Prosthodontics and Crown & Bridge | Oral Pathology & Oral Microbiology |
| BDS Syllabus Semester 5 | |
| General Medicine | General Surgery |
| Oral Pathology & Microbiology | Conservative Dentistry And Endodontics |
| BDS Syllabus Semester 6 | |
| Oral And Maxillofacial Surgery | Oral Medicine And Radiology |
| Orthodontics & Dentofacial Orthopedics | Pediatric & Preventive Dentistry |
| BDS Syllabus Semester 7 | |
| Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics | Oral Medicine and Radiology |
| Pediatric and Preventive Dentistry | Periodontology |
| BDS Syllabus Semester 8 | |
| Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery | Prosthodontics and Crown & Bridge |
| Conservative Dentistry And Endodontics | Conservative Dentistry And Endodontics |
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BAMS vs BDS: Top Colleges
There are around 323 BDS and 227 BAMS colleges in India, out of which, 178 are private BAMS colleges. Students who wish to pursue their career with a good institution can look at list of top BAMS and BDS colleges in India mentioned below.
Top BAMS Colleges in India
Here is list of top BAMS colleges in India for students interested in pursuing their career in the Ayurveda field.
| Top BAMS Colleges in India |
Fees in INR |
|---|---|
| Institute of Medical Sciences |
2.5 Lakh |
| Datta Meghe Institute of Medical Sciences |
18.75 Lakh |
| Parul University Vadodara |
14.20 Lakh |
| Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University |
12.60 Lakh |
| Banaras Hindu University |
51,845 |
| Gujarat Ayurveda University |
1.5 Lakh |
| Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University |
14.25 Lakh |
| Kerala University of Health Sciences |
2.75 Lakh |
| Baba Farid University of Health Science |
1.48 Lakh |
Top BDS Colleges in India
See the list below to find the best BDS colleges in India.
| Top BDS Colleges in India |
Fees in INR |
|---|---|
| King George’s Medical University - Lucknow |
5.5 Lakh |
| Maulana Azad Institute of Medical Sciences |
- |
| Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences |
8.5 Lakh/Per Year |
| Manipal College of Dental Sciences |
19.7 Lakh |
| A.B. Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences |
20 Lakh |
| SRM Dental College, Ramapuram Campus, Chennai |
17.6 Lakh |
| Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research |
24 Lakh |
| Institute of Medical Sciences and SUM Hospital |
22 Lakh |
Relevant Links for BAMS vs BDS:
People undoubtedly are turning to Ayurveda for so many reasons. This opens plenty of career prospects in the field. Similarly, with changing lifestyles, the demand for oral health will also increase. Therefore, let’s take a quick look at future possibilities in both the Dental and Ayurveda fields of healthcare.
What After BAMS?
- After completing the BAMS course, students can opt for higher studies or take up specialised practice such as the therapy of skin diseases, spinal disorders, etc.
- Some of the career opportunities include:
| Top BAMS Job Profiles |
Average Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Ayurveda dietician |
2.2 Lakh – 3.9 Lakh |
| Ayurveda Teacher |
4 Lakh – 6 Lakh |
| Ayurveda Practitioner |
7.2 Lakh |
| Ayurveda Pharmacist |
2.8 Lakh |
| Ayurveda Counsellor |
3.5 Lakh |
| Ayurveda Therapist |
3.5 Lakh |
| Ayurveda Nutritionist |
3.9 Lakh |
What After BDS?
- After BDS students can go for higher degrees such as MDS, MHA (Master in Hospital Administration), MPH (Masters in Public Health) and so on.
- Some of the career opportunities include:
| Top BDS Job Profiles |
Average Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Dentist |
6 Lakh |
| Lecturer |
3.5 – 4.4 Lakh |
| Dental Cosmetology |
15 – 40.8 Lakh |
| Forensic Dentistry |
9.56 Lakh |
| Consultant |
5 Lakh |
Read More:
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 13 hours ago
Admission to the MBBS programme at Christian Medical College (CMC) Vellore is strictly not possible without a valid NEET-UG score. MBBS Programme requires qualifying and appearing for NEET-UG, while for admission to its PG programmes (MD, MS) the CMC Vellore Tamil Nadu accepts the scores of NEET PG.
G
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 13 hours ago
AIIMS Bathinda cutoff 2026 is 2261 for the OBC All India category for the MBBS course admission. Students tartegting admission to the MD/MS/MDS courses, would need to acheive a rank of at least 10063 to have a chance at admission. On the other hand, for BSc in Nursing course, the maximum accepted fo
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 15 hours ago
No, candidates can clear NEET 2027 if they are thorough with the NCERT books. It is not mandatory to refer to the study material of coaching classes to clear NEET 2027.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 16 hours ago
Yes, for some of them. Bahra lists scholarships based on JEE Main marks and CLAT rank, along with BUSET, CAT, MAT, and CUET percentile scores. I am not sure about NEET, so confirm that with the admissions office.
Contributor-Level 6
Answered Yesterday
DY Patil Navi Mumbai accepts NEET exam for admission to its MBBS programme. The NEET UG cutoff 2026 for round 4 has been released. For the General AI category, the round 4 cutoff varied between 571981 and 764173, wherein MBBS had the cutoff of 507903.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 5 days ago
The Round 4 closing NEET cutoff 2026 for MBBS at AIIMS Deoghar is 8481. Students who meet the cutoff criteria can take admission in AIIMS Deoghar for the five-year MBBS course.
Contributor-Level 8
Answered 5 days ago
Yes, you can join AIIMS Bathinda without giving the NEET examination. The NEET exam is required only for the MBBS and BDS course. Candidates can check the list below to know the course-wise accepted exams.
- INI CET Exam for PG courses (MD, MDS, MS, DM, MCh)
- AIIMS Nursing/ AIIMS Paramedical Exam for B
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
It depends on the college, and sources do not agree. One college lists JENPAS, the West Bengal joint entrance exam, while another lists NEET. A third says both JENPAS and NEET are accepted. So always read each college's own admission page. Do not skip either exam until you are sure. Prepare for both
T
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
Yes, a NEET rank of 1,000 can be considered an excellent rank if you belong to the General AI category. For the aforementioned category, the highest rank acceptable was 222044. On the other hand, for the BDS course, the maximum rank acceptable was 522640. Hence, a NEET Rank of 1,000 could get you ad
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 weeks ago
Here is the table below showing some of the top BSc Nursing college without NEET in Delhi NCR, along with their tuition fees.
| Top Colleges | Tuition Fee |
|---|---|
| Amity University, Gurugram | INR 7.52 lakh |
| Sharda School of Nursing Science & Research | INR 11.08 lakh |
| SGT University, Gurgaon | INR 13 lakh |
| Holy Family College of Nursing | INR 2.4 lakh |
| SVSU - Swami Vivekanand Subharti University | INR 9.95 lakh |
T
Contributor-Level 10
I've always been an inquisitive person who wants to know about things around the world. This was one of the reasons I started working as a content writer, as my quest to know more suited my professional goals very w
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