Diploma in Cardiovascular & Thoracic Nursing (DCTN) at SCTIMST Trivandrum

Diploma in Cardiovascular & Thoracic Nursing (DCTN) at SCTIMST Trivandrum in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala is a 2-year diploma programme in the UG Diploma family. Each year's batch has 11 seats. Fees for the full course come to ₹20,000 – ₹30,000 (roughly ₹10,000 a year).

The course is about anatomy, physiology, nursing care and community health, with long clinical postings.

SCTIMST Trivandrum is a public/government institute, founded in 1976. This page brings together what is on record for this course at SCTIMST Trivandrum — fees, seats, eligibility, the admission route and placements — so you can judge it before you apply.

Most UGD programmes follow a similar pattern: the first year builds the foundations, the middle years go deep into the subject, and the final year is given over to electives, a major project and usually an internship.

Here that means anatomy, physiology, nursing care and community health, with long clinical postings. Typical first jobs: staff nurse in hospitals and community health roles.

The exact syllabus is set by the college or its affiliating university and changes from year to year, so ask SCTIMST Trivandrum for the current semester-wise plan.

This is what the course costs, as recorded. Fees are for the whole course unless marked otherwise, and apply to UGD programmes at SCTIMST Trivandrum as a group.

Colleges revise fees most years, and hostel, transport and exam charges are often billed separately. Confirm the current figure with SCTIMST Trivandrum before you pay anything.

For admission to Diploma in Cardiovascular & Thoracic Nursing (DCTN), you usually need Class 12 with Physics, Chemistry and Biology.

Admission to this kind of course is usually through state nursing entrance exams. Reserved-category candidates generally get a relaxation in the minimum marks. Check SCTIMST Trivandrum's prospectus for the exact cut-off this year.

The admission process usually runs like this:

1. Check that you meet the eligibility above and register for the entrance exam in time.
2. Take state nursing entrance exams and keep your scorecard.
3. Apply to SCTIMST Trivandrum on its website (sctimst.ac.in) or through the enquiry form on this page, and take part in counselling if a state or central body runs it.
4. Once you are offered a seat, verify your documents (marksheets, ID, category certificate if any) and pay the admission fee to confirm it.

Going by the latest placement record (2022) show a median package of ₹2 lakh at SCTIMST Trivandrum. 95 students were placed that year. These are college-wide figures, not only for this specialisation.

Placement numbers vary a lot by year and by branch. Ask the placement cell for the branch-wise report of the last two batches.

SCTIMST Trivandrum runs 5 UGD specialisations in all. The others you can compare it with:

• Diploma in Neuro- Nursing (DNN)
• Diploma in Operation Theatre & Anaesthesia Technology (DOTAT)
• Diploma in Advanced Medical Imaging Technology (DAMIT)
• Diploma in Public Health (DPH)

A few questions worth answering before you apply:

• Are you genuinely interested in anatomy? You will spend 2 years on it.
• Can you manage ₹20,000 – ₹30,000 over the course, plus hostel and living costs? Ask about scholarships and education loans.
• Are the placement figures above good enough for your goals? Ask for the branch-wise numbers.
• How does SCTIMST Trivandrum compare with other colleges offering UGD in and around Thiruvananthapuram?