Tasbiya KhanSenior Executive
Top Medical Colleges in Karnataka 2026: Ranking, Fees, Courses, Admission
Karnataka has 7 top-ranked medical colleges as per NIRF 2025, led by NIMHANS (#7 nationally), KMC Manipal (#10), St. John's Medical College (#30), KMC Mangalore (#35), JSS Medical College (#37), and M.S. Ramaiah Medical College (#50), making it one of India's biggest medical education hubs. Beyond this top-ranked list, the state is home to over 72 medical colleges in total, with around 24 government and 48 private institutes, offering close to 13,900+ MBBS seats. Admission is based on NEET UG scores, followed by counselling through KEA (Karnataka Examinations Authority) for state quota seats and MCC for All India Quota seats. All top colleges are recognised by the National Medical Commission (NMC) and affiliated with Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS), ensuring standardised, quality education and clinical training.
- Top Medical College in Karnataka: Known Facts 2026
- Top Medical Colleges in Karnataka: NIRF Ranking 2025
- Top Medical colleges in Karnataka: The Week 2026 Ranking
- Eligibility Criteria for Admission to Karnataka Medical Colleges 2026
- NEET Entrance Exam Accepted in Karnataka Medical Colleges 2026
- Top Private Medical Colleges in Karnataka
- ROI of Top Private Medical Colleges in Karnataka
- Top Government Medical Colleges in Karnataka
- Top Low-Cost Medical Colleges in Karnataka
- Top Medical Colleges in Karnataka: Comparison 2026
Top Medical College in Karnataka: Known Facts 2026
Students can choose from a wide range of UG, PG, and Diploma programmes, including MBBS, BAMS, BHMS, BPT, and Nursing. Graduates go on to build rewarding careers as doctors, dentists, surgeons, and cardiologists, with strong scope both within Karnataka's growing healthcare sector and beyond. For admissions, NEET UG and NEET PG are the entrance exams used for MBBS and MD admissions respectively, with NEET UG conducted by the National Board of Examinations, and there's no direct admission route into MBBS in Karnataka; even management quota seats require a valid NEET score. Check below for the key highlights for the best MBBS colleges in Karnataka including all important info. -
| Parameters |
Particulars |
|---|---|
| Total no. of Medical Colleges in Karnataka |
7 colleges |
| Top Medical Colleges in Karnataka |
NIMHANS, KMC Manipal, St. John's Medical College, etc. |
| Fee range of Karnataka Medical colleges |
~ INR 12,000 - INR 1+ Cr. |
| Top Medical Specialisations offered |
Perfusion Technology, Psychiatry |
| Accepted Entrance Exams |
NEET |
Top Medical Colleges in Karnataka: NIRF Ranking 2025
NIMHANS Bengaluru holds the highest position among Karnataka colleges at All India Rank 7, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal follows at Rank 10, St. John's Medical College, Bengaluru comes in at Rank 30. Go through the table below for the top 10 medical colleges in Karnataka.
| Top Colleges |
NIRF 2024 |
NIRF 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | 7 | |
| 9 | 10 | |
| 28 | 30 | |
| 33 | 35 | |
| 39 | 37 | |
| 46 | 50 |
Source: The above rankings are taken from NIRF official site and the 2026 rankings have not yet been released.
Top Medical colleges in Karnataka: The Week 2026 Ranking
The Week magazine releases an annual ranking of medical colleges across India based on academics, infrastructure, and placement parameters. Check below for the top medical colleges in Karnataka ranked in The Week 2026 list.
| Top Colleges | The Week 2025 Ranking | The Week 2026 Ranking |
|---|---|---|
| KMC Manipal | 7 | 6 |
| St. John’s National Academy of Health Sciences | 13 | 13 |
| M S Ramaiah Medical College | 19 | 18 |
| KMC Mangalore | 20 | 21 |
| K.S. Hegde Medical Academy | 27 | 27 |
NOTE: The above mentioned rankings have been taken from the Week official site and may/will change.
Eligibility Criteria for Admission to Karnataka Medical Colleges 2026
Listed below is the eligibility criteria to get admission to the Karnataka best medical college.
- Candidates must complete their Class 12 boards with a minimum 50% aggregate marks in PCB subjects and clear NEET entrance exam.
- Should be 17 years and above on the date of admission.
NEET Entrance Exam Accepted in Karnataka Medical Colleges 2026
To take admission to the top Medical colleges in Karnataka, candidates must have passed Class 12 boards or through entrance exam like NEET. Listed below is the entrance exam accepted in the MBBS colleges in Karnataka with schedule and NEET college predictor -
| Exam Name |
Exam Schedule |
Exam Cutoff Predictor |
|---|---|---|
| NEET Exam | NEET Schedule | NEET College Predictor |
Top Private Medical Colleges in Karnataka
Karnataka best private medical colleges are known for academic excellence, superb clinical exposure, and robust research facilities. The best medical colleges are listed as KMC Manipal, St. John's Bangalore, JSS Mysore, MS Ramaiah, etc. Admissions are mostly through NEET-UG and KEA counselling for government quota and private quota seats in the best medical colleges in Karnataka.
| Private Colleges |
Total Tuition Fee |
NIRF 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| INR 13.66 lakh |
10 |
|
| INR 30 lakh |
30 |
|
| Kasturba Medical College Mangalore Medical Courses | INR 6.91 lakh |
35 |
| INR 5.40 lakh |
37 |
|
| INR 86.40 lakh |
46 |
|
| INR 1.25 Cr |
50 |
NOTE: Fees and NIRF 2025 ranking are from official college's site and can change.
ROI of Top Private Medical Colleges in Karnataka
| Top Colleges | Tuition Fee | Median Package |
|---|---|---|
| Kasturba Medical College Manipal Placements | INR 13.66 lakh | INR 11.75 LPA |
| St. John’s National Academy of Health Sciences Placements | INR 30 lakh | INR 5.50 LPA |
| Kasturba Medical College Mangalore Placements | INR 6.91 lakh | INR 9.20 LPA |
| JSS Medical College Placements | INR 5.40 lakh | INR 9.75 LPA |
| M S Ramaiah Medical College Placements | INR 1.25 Cr | INR 6.60 LPA |
NOTE: The fees and rankings given above have been sourced from the college's actual site and can change.
Top Government Medical Colleges in Karnataka
Top government medical college in Karnataka include NIMHANS Bangalore is known for its high clinical exposure, low fees and good PG ranking. To get admission, a high NEET-UG rank is required. The 590-600+ cut off is common for general/OBC. Given below is the college with tuition fee and NIRF ranking 2025 -
| College Name |
Total Tuition Fee |
NIRF 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences Admission |
INR 12,200 |
7 |
Top Low-Cost Medical Colleges in Karnataka
NIMHANS is the only government Medical college in Karnataka having tuition fees of less than INR 1 lakh. Listed below is the top affordable college -
| College Name | Tuition Fee | NIRF 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| NIMHANS Fees | INR 12,200 | 7 |
NOTE: The affordable tuition fees are from the institute site and can change.
Top Medical Colleges in Karnataka: Comparison 2026
To check the comparison between the top Medical Colleges in Karnataka government rank wise, click the link below:
1. National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences
2. Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education
3. St. John’s National Academy of Health Sciences
4. Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, Manipal Academy of Higher Education
5. JSS Medical College, JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research
Commonly asked questions On Top Medical Colleges in Karnataka 2026: Ranking, Fees, Courses, Admission
Hi, NIMHANS or National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences is the top Medical college in Karnataka according to NIRF 2025 under the Medical category.
Karnataka has about 6 top ranked Medical colleges. Of these, 6 are private colleges and 1 is government college. Karnataka is the top medical education location in India.
Top vcolleges are RGUHS is a well-established university that governs medical education in the state. NIMHANS, KMC, St. John's National Academy of Health Sciences, JSS Medical College and M S Ramaiah Medical College are the best Medical colleges in Karnataka. NEET is the popular entrance exam for admission to top 10 Medical colleges in Karnataka.
Yes, several private medical colleges in Karnataka accept admission through the management or NRI quota at a comparatively lower NEET score, though fees are significantly higher than government seats. Some of the top private colleges are mentionedbelow -
Private Colleges | Total Tuition Fee |
|---|---|
INR 13.66 lakh | |
INR 30 lakh | |
| Kasturba Medical College Mangalore Medical Courses | INR 6.91 lakh |
INR 5.40 lakh | |
INR 86.40 lakh | |
INR 1.25 Cr |
Hi, among the top Medical Colleges, 6 top Medical colleges are owned privately and listed below are the best private Medical colleges in Karnataka:
Private Colleges | Total Tuition Fee | NIRF 2025 |
|---|---|---|
INR 12.42 lakh | 10 | |
INR 30 lakh | 30 | |
| Kasturba Medical College Mangalore Admission | INR 43.95 lakh | 35 |
INR 5.40 lakh | 37 | |
INR 6.35 lakh | 50 |
6. Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, KLE Academy of Higher Education and Research
7. M S Ramaiah Medical College
Commonly asked questions On Top Medical Colleges in Karnataka 2026: Ranking, Fees, Courses, Admission
To get a government medical college seat in Karnataka, General Merit (GM) category students generally need a NEET score between 520 and 630+ marks under the state quota. Top-tier colleges like Bangalore Medical College require 600–650+ marks, while newer or district-level government colleges accept scores down to about 520–550 marks.
Most of the top medical colleges in Karnataka are affiliated with Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, which oversees health Science education in the state. Some autonomous institutes, like NIMHANS, may have their own degree-granting authority. This affiliation ensures a standard curriculum and exam pattern across colleges.
Hi, among the top Medical Colleges, 1 top Medical college is owned by the government and listed below are the best government Medical colleges in Karnataka:
College Name | Total Tuition Fee/Seat Intake | NIRF 2025 |
|---|---|---|
National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences Admission | INR 12,200 | 7 |
There are various scholarships available for students pursuing a Bachelor of Medicine or Bachelor of Surgery degree. You can find them in the section below.
MBBS Colleges | MBBS Scholarships |
|---|---|
| |
| |
| |
| |
|
No, Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS full form in Medical) cannot be done fully online because of the nature of the program. The MBBS program is highly practical and clinical. An MBBS course includes strict hands-on training, clinical placements, and practical classes.
While we can find some theoretical component, or some other courses in medicine that could be online, a full MBBS degree requires face to face on campus, and non-academic contact with patients, nurses and allied health workers to meet minimum competency set down by medical councils.
Graduates from Karnataka's medical colleges go on to build careers as doctors, surgeons, cardiologists, and dentists, among other specialisations. Many pursue further PG studies at institutes like NIMHANS for specialised fields like neurosciences. The state's strong hospital network also offers ample internship and residency opportunities. This makes Karnataka a solid launching pad for a long-term medical career.
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