Nutrition Colleges in India

The number of nutrition college students in India has grown in the early 2000s, which has led to the creation of many nutrition colleges in all major Indian cities. These colleges offer some of the best diet and nutrition studies in the world. Nutrition graduates from these colleges are in heavy demand not only in the Indian job market, but also abroad.

Reason for Demand

• Sedentary lifestyles and fast-food consumption have led to an obesity epidemic in many westernized countries. A healthy, balanced diet prevents obesity and the ailments that come with it, such as heart disease, high cholesterol, hypertension and diabetes. These problems have increased demand for nutritionists who know how to prescribe personalized healthy diets for clients and advise them on healthy ways to cook and prepare food.

Courses and Educational Qualifications

• In India, colleges that offer nutrition programs teach students many subjects in a much shorter time frame than typical bachelor's program in other countries. In India a bachelor's degree in home science/dietetics or nutrition/food Technology takes three years. Eligibility for admission to a bachelor's degree nutrition course is passing Class 10+2 (equivalent to high school diploma in the U.S.) with science subjects of physics, chemistry and biology.

  After graduating from a nutrition program, students may go on for a two-year master's degree equivalent to a master's degree in the U.S. Alternatively, students may do a one-year post-graduate diploma in dietetics and public health nutrition.

Best Nutrition Colleges in India

• The most popular nutrition college in India is the National Institute of Nutrition, located in Hyderabad. This college has received international acknowledgment for its various groundbreaking and in-depth studies on nutrition, including protein energy malnutrition. The National Institute of Nutrition offers a master's degree in applied nutrition and a post-graduate certificate in nutrition. This college also has one of the most extensive college libraries in India.

  Mangalore University, Karnataka, offers bachelor's degree courses in nutrition and dietetics and in food and nutrition. It has a four-star accreditation by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council.

  The SNDT College, located in Mumbai, offers nutrition diploma and certificate courses.

  At the JD Birla Institute of Home Science in Kolkota, you can pursue a one-year certificate course in home science.

  Other nutrition colleges in India include Lady Irwin College in New Delhi, International Life Science Institute, New Delhi, and Punjab Agricultural University in Ludhiana.

Job Opportunities

• Hospitals, nursing homes and government health-departments hire nutritionists to plan diet regimens for patients. Companies, factories and sports organizations hire them to plan healthy menus for office cafeterias and athletes. Dietitians also work in the hospitality industry. Five-star hotels, resorts, spas and health clubs employ them to prepare wholesome menus. Research in nutrition laboratories, private consultancy and teaching are other job options.

Salary

• As of 2009, remuneration paid to nutritionists employed in the public sector and as nutrition teachers was anywhere between 8,000 to 15,000 rupees a month, which is equivalent to $167 to $312 U.S. In the private sector, companies and posh hotels paid much higher salaries and incentives: between 9,000 to 25,000 rupees. Private consulting earns a professional nutritionist or dietitian even more, as the Indian elite who are becoming health and fitness conscious make up the major chunk of their clientele.