Bachelor of Science in Nutrition Top Colleges, Syllabus, Jobs and Salary

B. Sc. in Nutrition is a 3-year full-time undergraduate course, designed for students having qualified the Senior Secondary Examination (classes X and XII) from a recognized educational Board. The course involves an advanced study of the necessary nutrients needed by the body in order to function properly, and the food items that are rich in them.

The program is divided into 6 semesters, of 6 months each, and can be pursued in India for an average annual course fee ranging between INR 1 and 5 Lacs, varying across institutes.

Mostly, admission to the course is offered on the basis of the candidate’s performance in a relevant entrance examination and subsequent round of counseling.

Upon successful completion of the course, such graduates are employed across:

• Government & Private Hospitals
• Outpatient Clinics
• Public Health Programs
• Athletic Clubs
• Wellness Centers
• Colleges & Universities, etc.

The average annual salary offered to such graduates in India ranges between INR 2 and 8 Lacs, increasing with time and experience.

B. Sc. in Nutrition: Course Highlights

Some of the major highlights regarding the course are tabulated below.

B. Sc. in Nutrition: What is it About?

The program has been designed to offer to eligible candidates advanced lessons in:

• the various nutrients contained in food and their functioning
• how the correct amount of nutrition keeps the body fit.
• the science of nutrition with a broader view of wellness, community and environment.
• how nutrition or nourishment acts as the provision by which the necessary materials (in the form of food), are given to cells and organisms to support life.
• various concepts of health impact of food, and the reasons we consume it.
• how by the in-intake of proper nutrients and a perfect diet, eating habits can be changed, etc.
• food matters, for pursuing advanced research in the discipline.

The course’s curriculum combines theoretical and practical components of study.

Successful graduates of the course interested in going for R&D (Research & Development), may later pursue higher degree courses such as M. Sc., Ph. D., M. Phil., etc. in the subject.

B. Sc. in Nutrition: Who should opt?

Aspiring eligible candidates wishing to opt for the course would ideally possess:

• a friendly and patient nature.
• interest in learning about the functioning and need of various nutrients in the body.
• passion for contributing to a healthy society, by preventing diseases before they occur.  
• good communication and writing skills, for producing reports, leaflets, etc.
• planning and administrative skills and organizational abilities.

Top Institutes offering B. Sc. in Nutrition

Listed below are some of the top institutes offering the course in the country, with the corresponding locations and fees charged by each.

Eligibility for B. Sc. in Nutrition

Candidates aspiring for admission to the course are required to fulfill the following minimum eligibility criteria.

• 10+2, completed from a recognized educational Board.
• Physics, Chemistry, Biology, or Mathematics as the main subjects of study at the 10+2 level.
• Diploma holders, who have completed a related diploma after class X, are also eligible to apply for the course.
• A minimum aggregate score of 55% (50% for SC/ST/OBC candidates) at the level of graduation.
• Candidates appearing for their final 10+2 examination are also eligible to apply for the course on provisional basis.

B. Sc. in Nutrition: Admission Procedure

Most institutes offering the course in India admit students based on their performance in a relevant entrance test, followed by a subsequent round of counselling. The round of counseling consists of two additional rounds of group discussion and personal interview, wherein the candidate’s general aptitude for the course is examined.

Some institutes conduct their own entrance tests for offering admission. Admission process generally varies across colleges.

A few institutes also provide direct admission based on the candidate’s score at the 10+2 level.

Mentioned below are some of the major entrance examinations conducted in the country for admission to the course.

• AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences) Entrance Test
• JNU (Jawaharlal Nehru University) Entrance Examination
• DU (University of Delhi) Entrance Examination
• JMI (Jamia Milia Islamia) Entrance Exam.

B. Sc. in Nutrition: Syllabus & Course Description

Tabulated below is a semester-wise breakup of the course’s syllabus.

B. Sc. in Nutrition: Career Prospects

Nutrition being an important branch of science, graduates of this field are in great demand all over the world and especially in India, due to recent increase in the number of people suffering from diabetics, heart diseases, hypertension, cancers and other similar diseases, with India being the global capital of such diseases.

As Nutritionists, successful graduates of the course advise patients on matters of food and nutrition’s impact on health, and also plan diets according to their needs.

Such postgraduates get hired in areas such as:

• R&D (Research & Development)
• Healthcare Sector (hospitals, clinics, health centers, etc.)
• NGOs
• Government Schemes and Organizations
• Teaching and Education Sector, etc.

Such graduates also have the option to be self-employed and run private clinics as Nutritionists.

Some of the popular professional avenues open to such graduates are mentioned below with the corresponding salaries offered for the respective positions.

1. Candidates must have passed Higher Secondary exam with Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics / Zoology / Botany / Biology / Microbiology / Biotechnology by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) or any equivalent exam conducted by any State Board or Equivalent.
2. The candidate should have secured a minimum 50% Aggregate.
3. All SC/ST candidates have a relaxation of 5% in the minimum aggregate.