The BDS or Bachelor of Dental Surgery is a 5 year specialized program in dental surgery. Available seats for the BDS program in 2025 are 27,868. Admission is based on the national level entrance test NEET. State level entrance tests like the KEAM or MHT – CET may also be required for admission to the BDS program. Fees for BDS programs range from ₹40,000 to ₹10,00,000 per annum at top BDS medical institutions.
For BDS program admissions, the Medical Counselling Committee will hold 4 rounds after announcement of the NEET UG results. NEET results will be released by June 14th, 2025 for admission to the BDS program. Students having completed their classes 10th and 12th studies with 50% marks in PCB with English are eligible to apply for the BDS program at government and private colleges across India.
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BDS Program Highlights
BDS or Bachelor of Dental Surgery is a dental studies program which spans 5 years. 1 year is dedicated to internship which is a compulsory part of the course curriculum. Medical aspirants interested in dental programs such as BDS may refer to the table below for BDS program quick highlights.
| BDS Program Quick Highlights | |
| Particulars | Details |
| BDS Full Name | Bachelor of Dental Surgery |
| BDS Program Duration | 5 Years including 1 year of internship |
| Internship | Compulsory 1 year of rotatory internship |
| BDS Program Seats | 27,868 |
| BDS Syllabus Approving Authority | Dental Council of India |
| Entrance Test | NEET |
| Counselling Authority | Medical Counselling Committee |
| Top BDS Colleges | Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Manipal College of Dental Sciences and Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences |
BDS Program Eligibility Criteria
Eligibility criteria for the BDS program is completion of 10+2 with minimum 50% aggregate marks in Physics, Chemistry and Biology subjects. Students interested in taking admissions in the BDS program must know that the BDS course eligibility criteria differs from country to country and institution to institution.
Generally, the common BDS eligibility criteria requires the candidate to complete 10+2 with PCB at 50% aggregate marks. In addition, students must also qualify the NEET exam to be eligible for BDS program admissions. Here is the eligibility criteria for Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences and other top colleges.
| BDS Program Eligibility Criteria College Wise | |
| Name of the College | BDS Eligibility Criteria |
| Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences | 10+2 with 50% + NEET |
| Manipal College of Dental Sciences | 10+2 with 50% in PBC or Biotechnology + NEET |
| Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences | 10+2 with 50% (40% for reserved) |
| King George’s Medical University | 10+2 with 50% marks |
| JIPMER, Puducherry | 10+2 with PCB and English with |
BDS Program Admission Process
- Qualify for the NEET UG exam
- Register for the Counselling Rounds
- Participate in the Counselling Process
- Document Verification
- Required Fee Payment
- Securing a BDS seat at a Central/State medical college
Accepted Entrance Exams for BDS
The BDS program requires an entrance test for admissions. Generally, students must clear the NEET UG exam for admission to the BDS program at government or private medical colleges in India. In some cases, State level entrance exams like the MHT-CET may be required for admission to the BDS course.
| Accepted Entrance Exams for BDS | |
| Particulars | Details |
| Entrance Exam Requirement for BDS | NEET UG |
| State Level Entrance Exams | May be required depending on the State |
| Kerala BDS Entrance Exam | KEAM |
| Maharashtra BDS Entrance Exam | MHT-CET |
BDS Program Fees
Annual fee for the BDS program in India may range from ₹40,000 to ₹10,00,000 or higher. While some colleges such as Jamia Millia Islamia charge minimal tuition fees of ₹41,775 per year for its BDS program, the Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences annual BDS tuition fees is ₹9,10,000 for Indian students. Check the BDS program fees for top 7 BDs colleges in India in the table given below.
| Top 7 BDS Colleges in India Fee Structure | |
| Name of the College | Tuition Fee |
| Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences | ₹9,10,000 (Indian Candidates) $ 15,000 (Foreign Nationals/ NRIs) |
| Manipal College of Dental Sciences | ₹415,000 |
| Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences | Approximately ₹1,00,000 to ₹1,50,000 |
| King George’s Medical University | ₹54,900 |
| A.B. Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences | ₹20,00,000 (total) |
| SRM Dental College | ₹3,90,000 |
| Jamia Millia Islamia | ₹41,775 |
Top 5 BDS Colleges in India
Pursuing the BDS program from a top ranked institution provides good career prospects including a high salary package and a good job. The Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences is ranked 1st by NIRF in 2024 for BDS program studies while the Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research is ranked 10th by NIRF in 2024.
| Top 5 BDS Colleges in India Rank Wise | |
| Name of the College | Ranking |
| Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences | 1st by NIRF 2024 |
| Manipal College of Dental Sciences | 2nd by NIRF 2024 |
| Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences | 3rd by NIRF 2024 |
| King George’s Medical University | 4th by NIRF 2024 |
| A.B. Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences | 6th by NIRF 2024 |
| SRM Dental College | 7th by NIRF 2024 |
| Jamia Millia Islamia | 8th by NIRF 2024 |
| SOA University – Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan | 9th by NIRF 2024 |
| Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research | 10th by NIRF 2024 |
FAQs
The course duration of BDS is 5 years including 1 year of internship.
The annual tuition course fee of BDS is around ₹40,000 to ₹10,00,000 or higher.
To take admission in a BDS program, qualify the NEET exam, register for the counselling rounds, upon selection pay the required fees and secure your BDS seat at your preferred college.