By the Nursing Team (M.Sc), Sresakthimayeil Institute of Nursing and Research · Reviewed by the Admission Office · Published 28 July 2026 · Last updated 28 July 2026
Quick answer (46 words): Yes. B.Sc Nursing is open to male and female candidates on identical eligibility criteria — 10+2 with PCB, minimum 45% aggregate (40% SC/ST), age 17 to 35. Male nurses work across every specialisation, and the degree, registration and career ladder are exactly the same.
This question is asked in almost every admission season, usually by a parent rather than the student. It deserves a direct answer rather than a diplomatic one.
The eligibility answer, first
B.Sc Nursing is open to male candidates. The criteria are identical:
Requirement | Criterion — same for all candidates |
|---|---|
Qualification | 10+2 (Higher Secondary) |
Subjects | Physics, Chemistry and Biology |
Minimum aggregate | 45% (40% for SC/ST, as per rule) |
Age | 17 to 35 years |
Entrance exam | No NEET requirement |
There is no separate quota, no separate cut-off and no separate application route. See eligibility and cut-off explained for the full detail.
The one thing that does differ: the fee
At this institute, the Management Quota fee differs by category:
Rs 1,50,000 per year — female candidates
Rs 1,75,000 per year — male candidates
Government Quota seats follow Government norms. Confirm current figures on the fee structure page or with the admission office.
We state this plainly rather than leaving families to discover it on a fee page without context. If the difference affects your decision, check scholarships first — eligible students may qualify for government and institutional support, which can matter more than the category difference.
Where male nurses actually work
Across every specialisation. In practice, male nurses are strongly represented in:
Intensive care and critical care units
Emergency and trauma departments
Operating theatres
Psychiatric and mental health nursing
Cardiac and dialysis units
Ambulance and pre-hospital emergency care
Nursing education and administration, after further qualification
None of these are "male" specialisations in any formal sense — they are simply areas where male nurses commonly build careers. For the full picture of where nursing leads, see nursing career scope in India and abroad.
The objections families raise — answered honestly
"Nursing is a women's profession"
It is a regulated healthcare profession, and the Indian Nursing Council registers nurses without reference to gender. Historically the profession has been female-dominated in India, which is why the question gets asked. Historically dominant is not the same as restricted.
"Will he get a job?"
Hospitals recruit registered nurses. Critical care, emergency, operating theatre and psychiatric units in particular recruit male nurses routinely. A qualified, registered nurse with good clinical training is employable — the qualification and the ward experience decide it.
"What about relatives and neighbours?"
This is usually the real objection, and it deserves a straight response rather than a lecture. Three things are true:
The people asking will not be paying the fees or working the shifts.
The profession has near-universal, permanent demand — every hospital in every country needs nurses.
Attitudes in the region have shifted considerably, and a working nurse with a stable career answers the question better than any argument does.
"Wouldn't he be better off in a different course?"
Only if he wants a different career. If a student is genuinely drawn to clinical work, redirecting him into a course he does not want — because of what neighbours might say — is an expensive way to buy social comfort.
"Is it harder for a male student during training?"
Clinical postings, examinations and assessment are the same for all students. Some rotations, particularly maternity, have practical arrangements that differ — this is normal, is handled by the department, and does not affect your degree, your registration or your career.
What genuinely matters instead
If you are a male student weighing nursing, none of the above is the real decision. These are:
1. Do you actually want clinical work? Bedside care, shift patterns, patients who are frightened or in pain, and long periods on your feet. If that appeals, nursing is a strong career. If it does not, no amount of job security fixes that.
2. Can you handle shift work? Ward postings mean early starts and shift schedules from the second year onward. It suits some people for a whole career and exhausts others.
3. Are you prepared to specialise? The career opens up through the unit you choose and, usually, an M.Sc Nursing. Nurses who plan for that early reach senior roles; those who leave it vague usually do not.
4. Have you seen a hospital ward? If you can, spend time in one before you commit. It is the single most useful thing you can do — worth more than any brochure, this page included.
5. Are you doing this for yourself? The students who struggle are usually the ones pushed into nursing by a family decision, and the ones who thrive are usually the ones who chose it against some resistance. If the answer to this question is uncomfortable, sort it out now rather than in year two.
Why male nurses are in demand in specific units
This is worth being concrete about, because "there are jobs" is a weak argument and the actual reasons are stronger.
Critical care and emergency departments run on continuous shift coverage, including nights, and recruit heavily across the board. Units with high patient turnover and unpredictable admissions value staff who can commit to the full shift pattern.
Psychiatric and mental health nursing frequently requires mixed-gender staffing on wards, for both patient care and safety reasons. This creates steady, structural demand.
Operating theatres involve long standing hours, equipment handling and a team environment that many male nurses gravitate towards and build long careers in.
Pre-hospital and ambulance services combine emergency clinical skill with physically demanding fieldwork, and recruit accordingly.
The honest framing: none of this means these units prefer male nurses, and none of it means other units do not recruit them. It means a male nursing graduate entering these areas is entering a normal, established path — not breaking new ground.
What to say to a family that is unsure
If you are the student, you may be the one making this case at home. Four points that work better than argument:
Take them to a hospital. Nurses of every kind are visible in any ward. Seeing is more persuasive than explaining.
Talk about the specific career, not the profession in the abstract — "I want to work in intensive care" lands differently from "I want to do nursing".
Show the demand. Every hospital in every country needs nurses, permanently. Few careers can say that.
Give it a time frame. "Four years and I will be a registered nurse with a job" is concrete. Vague plans invite objection.
And if the family's real concern is money, address it directly — see the fee and scholarship figures above rather than leaving it unspoken.
What to check before joining any nursing college
The same three non-negotiables apply to every candidate:
INC approval and state council registration for the programme, current and dated.
University affiliation — the body that awards your degree.
Real clinical postings — which hospital, which departments, how many hours. Nursing is learned on wards. See clinical hospital.
Also ask about hostel arrangements if you need accommodation — this institute has separate hostels for men and women.
The programmes here
Sresakthimayeil Institute of Nursing and Research (J.K.K. Nattraja College of Nursing) is INC-approved, registered with the TNNMC, and affiliated to The Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R. Medical University:
Post Basic B.Sc Nursing — 2 years, 50 seats, for GNM holders
Placement: 98%, average Rs 4.2 LPA, highest Rs 25 LPA for international roles — see placement and student testimonials.
Still deciding on the route? Read nursing courses after 12th — B.Sc vs GNM vs ANM, or apply at B.Sc Nursing admissions.
Frequently asked questions
Can boys do B.Sc Nursing? Yes. B.Sc Nursing is open to male and female candidates on identical eligibility criteria — 10+2 with Physics, Chemistry and Biology, minimum 45% aggregate (40% for SC/ST), and age between 17 and 35 years.
Is the B.Sc Nursing fee different for male students? At this institute, the Management Quota fee is Rs 1,50,000 per year for female candidates and Rs 1,75,000 per year for male candidates. Government Quota seats follow Government norms. Confirm current figures with the admission office.
Where do male nurses work? Across every specialisation, with strong representation in intensive care, emergency and trauma, operating theatres, psychiatric nursing, cardiac and dialysis units, pre-hospital emergency care, and in nursing education and administration.
Is the nursing degree different for male students? No. The degree, the Indian Nursing Council registration, the syllabus, the examinations and the career ladder are identical.
Do male nurses get jobs easily? Hospitals recruit registered nurses on qualification and clinical competence. Critical care, emergency, operating theatre and psychiatric units in particular recruit male nurses routinely.
Is NEET required for boys to do nursing? No. NEET is not the qualifying exam for B.Sc Nursing in Tamil Nadu, for any candidate. Selection is on 10+2 PCB merit through the official state process.
Are there separate hostels for male nursing students? Yes. This institute has separate hostels for men and women. Confirm current availability with the admission office.
Can male nurses work abroad? Yes, subject to the destination country's own registration, licensing and experience requirements, which apply to all candidates equally. Verify these with that country's official nursing regulator.
Weighing nursing as a career? Come and see a ward before you decide — nursing@jkkn.ac.in or +91 93458 55001. See admissions and the FAQ.