HEALTH AND MEDICINE

Psychiatrist

A medical doctor who diagnoses and treats mental illness with medicines and therapy.

Physics, Chemistry and Biology needed After a degree Regulated profession

Facts checked 29/10/2026

Is this for me?

People in this work enjoy

Listening closely to people and helping them slowly get better
Mixing science (brain, medicines) with understanding human lives
Working in a team with psychologists, nurses and social workers

It may not suit you if you dislike

Very long training: about 8 to 9 years after Class 12, with a tough NEET PG ranking race
Emotionally heavy work: you will hear painful stories every day
Some patients improve slowly, and stigma in families and society can make your work harder

Class 11–12 subjects: Class 12 with Physics, Chemistry, Biology (or Biotechnology) and English, then NEET UG. The usual rule is at least 50% in PCB for General and 40% for SC/ST/OBC, and age 17 by 31 December of the admission year (reported; check the NTA bulletin for your year).
First degree: MBBS (about 4.5 years plus a 1-year compulsory internship), then MD Psychiatry (3 years) or DNB Psychiatry.
Entrance exams: NEET UG (NTA) for MBBS. NEET PG (NBEMS) for MD or DNB Psychiatry. AIIMS, NIMHANS and PGIMER seats come through INI-CET (reported).
Licence or registration: Registration with the National Medical Commission (NMC) or a State Medical Council is needed to practise as a doctor. The MD or DNB in Psychiatry is the specialist degree.

Subjects that keep this door openClass 11–12: Physics + Chemistry + Biology.Physics, Chemistry and Biology needed.Way back: You can add the missing subject later as an extra subject (for example through NIOS) and still apply, but check the exam's and college's rules. A longer road, but open.Check your subjects against every career

What the work is like

Talking to patients and families, diagnosing conditions such as depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and addiction, prescribing medicines, doing or guiding therapy, and working with psychologists, nurses and social workers.

A day in the work
You may start with a ward round, checking how inpatients slept, ate and felt, and whether their medicines are working. Then comes outpatient time, with a string of 15–30 minute talks with patients and families, where listening is as important as prescribing. In the afternoon you might review a case with a psychologist, see an emergency referral, or write notes and follow-up plans. Some days include night calls or a visit to a de-addiction or community camp.

Professional qualificationRun by National Medical Commission (NMC). You can start after: Class 12 with Physics, Chemistry and Biology. Minimum time: About 8.5 years after Class 12 (MBBS plus internship about 5.5 years, then MD about 3 years).

The full route: exams, training, registration

Step 1 · Class 11–12Take Physics, Chemistry, Biology and English. Biology is compulsory for MBBS entry, so PCM-only students cannot go this route. Aim for at least 50% in PCB (40% for SC/ST/OBC). (reported — check with the official body)
Step 2 · Class 12Take NEET UG, which is the only entrance exam for MBBS seats in India, including AIIMS and JIPMER. You must be 17 by 31 December of the admission year. Admission goes through MCC or state counselling. (reported — check with the official body)
Step 3 · About 5.5 yearsMBBS at an NMC-recognised college: about 4.5 years of study plus a 1-year compulsory rotating internship. You rotate through all branches, including a short psychiatry posting. (reported — check with the official body)
Step 4 · After internshipGet permanent registration with the NMC or your State Medical Council. You need it for NEET PG and for practice. (reported — check with the official body)
Step 5 · After MBBSNEET PG, run by NBEMS. In 2026 it was held on 30 August as a computer-based test, with 180 questions for 720 marks. You must finish your internship by the cut-off date (30 September in 2026). To qualify, General/EWS candidates need the 50th percentile, which was 262 marks in 2026. Your rank then decides which seat and college you get in counselling. (reported — check with the official body)
Step 6 · 3 yearsMD Psychiatry at an NMC-recognised college. NMC rules say broad-speciality degrees such as MD take 3 years, including exams. You train in wards, outpatient clinics, therapy and de-addiction work, and write a thesis. DNB Psychiatry is the other equal route.
Optional · After MDSuper-speciality DM courses open to MD Psychiatry holders, such as Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Geriatric Mental Health. Some doctors also work in teaching or research.

Ways in

MD Psychiatry through NEET PGThe main route. Seats are in government, private and deemed colleges through MCC (All India Quota) and state counselling.
DNB Psychiatry through NEET PGTaken at NBEMS-accredited hospitals. NEET PG covers MD, MS, PG Diploma and DNB seats.
MD Psychiatry through INI-CET (AIIMS, NIMHANS, PGIMER and similar)A separate entrance exam run by AIIMS Delhi for institutes of national importance. NIMHANS in Bengaluru takes its MD Psychiatry students this way (reported).

Recently changed, or still changing

NEET PG dates, cut-offs and the internship deadline change every year. In 2026 the General/EWS cut-off was the 50th percentile (262 of 720). It was 40th percentile for SC/ST/OBC and 45th for General PwBD. Always read the current NBEMS bulletin.
NMC has reportedly said 2026–27 is the last intake for 2-year PG diploma courses. Those seats are to become MD/MS seats (reported).

Your real chances

In NEET PG 2026, about 2.63 lakh candidates appeared on 30 August, and another 2,416 took a re-exam in Jaipur on 5 September (reported). Seat counts vary between sources, and I could not confirm an official figure for psychiatry seats alone. Psychiatry is only one of many branches, and the best colleges close at very high ranks.

Source: Deccan Chronicle: NEET-PG 2026 results (reported) ↗

Time and money

Stage	Time	Government college or body	Private college	Help available
Class 11–12 (PCB subjects)	2 years	Your school's fees	Your school's fees	—
NEET UG entrance exam (Class 12)	1 day exam	Check the notice for exam fee	Check the notice for exam fee	—
MBBS plus 1-year compulsory internship	About 5.5 years	Check the college's fee page	Check the college's fee page	Government PG stipends exist for residents; amount varies by state and college (after MBBS, not MBBS fees)
NMC or State Medical Council registration	Paperwork after internship	Check the notice for registration fee	Check the notice for registration fee	—
NEET PG entrance exam (after MBBS)	1 day exam	Check the notice for exam fee	Check the notice for exam fee	—
MD Psychiatry (government or private college)	3 years	Check the college's fee page; government colleges charge far less	Check the college's fee page; private and deemed colleges charge more	Monthly stipend usually paid to PG residents in government colleges; amount varies by state and college

Total timeAbout 8.5 years after Class 12

Total costDepends mostly on the college you choose — compare fee pages.

Good to knowThe page gives no official fee figures; NEET exam fees and PG stipend amounts must be checked from current notices and college pages.

Fees change every year — check the college's own fee page before you pay.

What people earn

Earnings vary a lot: a junior or resident doctor earns modestly, while an experienced psychiatrist with a private clinic or a senior hospital post in a big city usually earns much more than one in a small town.

Myth and fact

Myth: ~~Psychiatrists just give sleeping pills and tell people to calm down.~~

Fact: Psychiatrists are trained doctors who diagnose illnesses like depression or schizophrenia, choose medicines carefully, and use talk therapy and family support. Many patients recover well with the right treatment.

For girls and students with disabilities

NEET PG qualifying cut-offs are lower for reserved categories. In 2026 they were the 40th percentile for SC/ST/OBC and the 45th for General PwBD, compared with the 50th for General/EWS (reported). Whether a particular disability is allowed for MBBS and MD is decided under NMC's rules for specified disabilities, so check the latest NMC guidelines.

Try it now

Class 7–9Start a simple feelings diary for a month: note your mood, sleep and what helped on bad days. It builds the habit of noticing emotions, which is the base of this work.
Class 10–12Pick Physics, Chemistry, Biology and English in Class 11, and read the free NCERT Psychology textbook chapters on stress, emotions and mental disorders alongside your PCB books.Open link ↗
College or afterDuring MBBS, ask to spend extra time in the psychiatry OPD during your posting. Also look at a free SWAYAM course on psychology or mental health.Open link ↗

Good to know

A psychiatrist is a medical doctor (MBBS plus MD). A psychologist usually studies psychology, not medicine, and does not prescribe medicines. Both can work together on one patient.
The path is long: roughly 8 to 9 years after Class 12 before you are a qualified specialist, and more if you need extra NEET UG or NEET PG attempts.
NEET UG and NEET PG scores are valid only for that year's admission. You must sit the exam again if you want to try again.
If you do not get a PG seat, you can still work as an MBBS doctor and try NEET PG again.

Sources: National Medical Commission: Post-Graduate Medical Education Regulations 2023 · Deccan Chronicle: NEET-PG 2026 results, cut-offs and candidates appeared (reported) · Medical Dialogues: Final PGMER 2023 released in Gazette (reported)