Certificate in General Duty Assistant (Patient Care)
Last updated · Confirm dates, fees and eligibility on the official website before you apply.
Basic patient care, vital signs, hygiene and mobility assistance. Growing demand from home healthcare and elder care, and a recognised route for overseas caregiver recruitment.
- Duration
- 0.5–1 years
- Entry after
- Class 10
- Indicative fee
- ₹5,000 – ₹60,000total, varies by institution
- Entrance exam
- None
- Study mode
- OnCampus
- Licence
- Not required
Course overview
Basic patient care, vital signs, hygiene and mobility assistance. Growing demand from home healthcare and elder care, and a recognised route for overseas caregiver recruitment.
Eligibility and admission
Who can apply. 10th pass.
How you get in. Direct admission (NSDC/HSSC partner institutes, hospital training centres).
How it is studied. Full-time or part-time; many providers offer online or blended delivery.
Admission rules change every year. Confirm eligibility, the entrance test and the calendar against the current official notification.
Where this can lead
Where people work.
- Hospitals and nursing homes
- Home healthcare agencies
- Elder care facilities
- Rehabilitation centres
- Overseas care sector (Gulf, Japan, Germany)
What you can study next.
- ANM
- GNM
- B.Sc Nursing
- Specialised care certifications
Cost, duration and indicative earnings
Indicative total course fee. About 5,000 - 60,000 total; varies widely by provider and duration.
Indicative starting salary. 10,000 - 20,000 per month.
Typical duration. 6 months - 1 year.
Fees and salaries here are indicative ranges, not quotes. Confirm the current fee with the institution and treat the salary as a starting range that varies by employer and location.
What you learn
Over 6 to 12 months, you learn basic patient care, including checking vital signs, hygiene and helping patients move safely.
| Stage | Core content | Alongside it |
|---|---|---|
| Throughout | Basic patient care, vital signs, personal hygiene and mobility assistance. | Patient support for hospital care, home healthcare, elder care and rehabilitation settings. |
Ask before you enrol. How many hours will I practise taking vital signs and assisting patient mobility under supervision, and where will those practical sessions take place?
Who it suits
This course suits you if you have passed Class 10 and want to start patient-care work within 6 to 12 months.
- You are comfortable helping patients with bathing, hygiene, eating and moving around.
- You want entry-level work in a hospital, nursing home, home healthcare agency, elder-care facility or rehabilitation centre.
- You need a lower-fee route, with recorded total fees ranging from about ₹5,000 to ₹60,000.
- You prefer direct admission rather than an entrance exam or a merit-list counselling process.
- You may later want to move into ANM, GNM or B.Sc Nursing.
- It does not suit you if you want to diagnose illness, prescribe treatment or work independently as a nurse.
What it will actually cost you
Budget about Rs 5,000 - 60,000 for the full Certificate in General Duty Assistant (Patient Care) course, with fees varying by provider and course length.
| Line item | Typical | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Total course fee | Rs 5,000 - 60,000 total | This is the recorded fee band for the full 6-12 month course. Government-linked, hospital-based and private training providers may charge different amounts. |
Ask the training provider about scholarships, reserved-category fee concessions, stipends and refund rules before paying. Get the fee breakup and refund terms in writing.
Indicative ranges, not quotations. Confirm the current fee with the institution before you pay anything.
Certifications that change what you earn
What it pays, and what changes it
In India, you usually start at ₹10,000 to ₹20,000 a month as a general duty assistant. Hospital shifts, home healthcare and elder care work affect what you earn.
India
Pay differs by city, employer and shift work.
| Stage | Monthly | What it depends on |
|---|---|---|
| Entry level | ₹10,000–₹20,000 | After the certificate, in hospitals, nursing homes, home healthcare or elder care. |
| Experienced patient care assistant | ₹15,000–₹25,000 | After experience in regular patient care, hygiene, mobility assistance and vital-sign checks. |
| Senior care or specialised setting | ₹20,000–₹30,000 | Experience in rehabilitation, elder care or home healthcare, often with extra care certifications. |
Gulf / overseas
Overseas caregiver work is a recognised route for this qualification.
| Stage | Monthly | What it depends on |
|---|---|---|
| Overseas caregiver entry | Varies by country and employer | Recruitment for an overseas care role, with the employer's required documents and training. |
| Experienced caregiver | Varies by country and employer | Experience in patient care or elder care and continued work in the overseas care sector. |
Indicative bands for 2026, not measured salary data. What people actually earn varies by employer, state and sector.
The honest part
Patient care work is physical and personal. You may spend much of a shift helping people bathe, eat, move from bed to chair, or use the toilet. Hospitals, nursing homes and home-care agencies may have different work hours and pay. Starting pay is often around ₹10,000 to ₹20,000 a month, so compare this with the total course fee before joining.
The course gives you a direct entry point after Class 10 into patient support work. Demand comes from hospitals, home healthcare, elder care and rehabilitation centres. It also gives you basic experience before moving to ANM, GNM or B.Sc Nursing. A licence to practise is not required for this role, but that does not make the work casual or easy.
People who progress usually become reliable with routine care first. They learn to check vital signs carefully, maintain hygiene, follow instructions, handle patients gently and report changes promptly. They also choose training with real patient-care practice, not only online classes, and keep their certificate and placement terms clear before paying fees.
Who can apply
1 route into this course.
| Qualification | Stream | Minimum | Subjects |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class 10 | Any | — |
Percentages are indicative. State directorates and individual institutes set their own cut-offs, and reserved-category relaxations differ by state.
Careers this course leads to
1 route mapped from this qualification.
A course supports eligibility and preparation. It never guarantees a particular job.
Before and after this course
What you can study next
Common questions
Who can apply for Certificate in General Duty Assistant (Patient Care)?
10th pass. Admission is through Direct admission (NSDC/HSSC partner institutes, hospital training centres).
How long does Certificate in General Duty Assistant (Patient Care) take?
6 months - 1 year. Full-time or part-time; many providers offer online or blended delivery.
What does Certificate in General Duty Assistant (Patient Care) cost?
About 5,000 - 60,000 total; varies widely by provider and duration. These are indicative ranges, not quotes. Confirm the current fee with the institution.
What can I study after Certificate in General Duty Assistant (Patient Care)?
ANM, GNM, B.Sc Nursing, Specialised care certifications.
Turn this into a decision you can defend
Compare the route, follow where it actually leads, and keep one alternative in view before you apply.