After 12th · Paramedical
B.Optom (Bachelor of Optometry)
An allied healthcare path for eye testing, vision care, lenses, and ophthalmology support
Compiled & edited by Mallikarjun Bhise
Optometry at a glance
Full breakdownBest thing about it
Stable allied-health demand
Hardest truth
Weak clinical training limits confidence.
Optometry trains students in refraction, vision testing, contact lenses, binocular vision, low-vision care, and ophthalmic instruments. It is an allied healthcare career, not MBBS ophthalmology, but can lead to stable hospital, optical-chain, and clinic roles.
Compare, exams & salary
Optometry in detail
Figures checked against the sources listed below on .
How do you get into B.Optom in 2026–27?
There is no single B.Optom entrance test. In 2026 the route depended on the institute, and some universities switched to NEET UG.
- AIIMS: the computer-based AIIMS Paramedical exam. In 2026, forms opened on 25 March (deadline extended to 10 May), the exam was on 4 July and results were expected around 10 July. You need 50% (45% for SC/ST) in Class 12 with English, Physics, Chemistry and Biology or Maths, and must be 17 by 31 December of the admission year.
- University of Hyderabad: 30 seats in a 5-year B.Optometry, filled on NEET UG 2026 merit only. Forms closed on 10 August 2026 (fee ₹300 for General).
- SASTRA with Elite School of Optometry, Chennai: 2026 merit was 25% NEET UG score and 75% normalised Class 12 marks.
- JIPMER Puducherry: 5 B.Optom seats in its 2026–27 allied health prospectus.
- West Bengal: state seats go through WBJEEB’s JENPAS(UG), held on 7 June in 2026.
Is B.Optom a 4-year or a 5-year course now?
Both exist in 2026. The older pattern is 3 years of study plus a 1-year internship (4 years in all); SASTRA still lists it.
Several universities adopting the NCAHP competency-based standards from 2026–27 now run 4 years of study plus a 1-year compulsory internship (5 years). The University of Hyderabad, SRM and L V Prasad Eye Institute (with GITAM) list 5-year programmes. One extra year means one more year of fees and a later first salary.
What does B.Optom cost at government vs private institutes?
AIIMS and JIPMER seats cost very little, but they are few: JIPMER has 5 B.Optom seats in 2026–27.
| Institute | Type | Fee and what it covers | Year and source |
|---|---|---|---|
| AIIMS New Delhi | Central government | About ₹1,145 a year (₹300 tuition + other fees) | 2021–22, Collegedunia |
| JIPMER Puducherry | Central government | ₹14,920 in year 1, then ₹6,770 a year | 2023–24, Collegedunia |
| SASTRA with Elite School of Optometry | Private deemed university | ₹55,000 tuition a semester, up 5% a year from year 2; about ₹4.40 lakh in all | 2026, Collegedunia |
| Manipal College of Health Professions | Private deemed university | ₹2,17,500 in year 1 (₹1,61,500 tuition, ₹46,000 mess, ₹10,000 other); about ₹7.94 lakh in all | 2026, GetMyUni |
From college-listing sites, not official fee circulars; confirm with the institute.
How much does an optometrist earn in India in 2026?
Starting pay in optical retail and eye hospitals, as reported on AmbitionBox, sits around ₹2–4.5 lakh a year. Government pay depends on the pay level, and some public jobs are short contracts.
| Stage or post | Employer type | Pay | Year and source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fresher, Lenskart (Thane) | Optical retail | ₹2–4.2 lakh a year | AmbitionBox, checked October 2026 |
| 0–5 years, Lenskart job ads | Optical retail | ₹2.5–4.5 lakh a year | AmbitionBox jobs, checked October 2026 |
| 1–5 years, Sankara Nethralaya | Eye hospital | ₹2–4 lakh a year (48 reports) | July 2025, AmbitionBox |
| About 10 years, senior optometrist, Apollo Hospitals | Private hospital | About ₹6 lakh a year (few reports) | AmbitionBox, checked October 2026 |
| Optometrist (7th CPC common category) | Central government | Level 6: ₹35,400 basic + 60% DA = ₹56,640 a month, before HRA | 7th CPC levels (2016); DA from January 2026 |
| Optometrist, Delhi government | State government | Level 5: ₹29,200 basic, plus DA | Recruitment rules, 15 January 2025 |
| Project optometrist, AIIMS Delhi ENT (to May 2028) | Government contract | ₹28,000 + HRA a month | 2026 advertisement |
| Optometrist, NHM Dadra Nagar Haveli and Daman Diu | Government contract | ₹18,000 a month | February 2026 walk-in notice |
| Optometrists and orthoptists, Australia | Abroad, after the OCANZ exam | Median A$2,280 a week, full-time | May 2023 data, Jobs and Skills Australia |
Private figures are self-reported, not job offers. Senior Optometrist is Level 7 in the same 2016 central list.
Sources: [15], [16], [17], [18], [19], [20], [21], [22], [23], [24], [25]
Who should not choose Optometry
- Students who skipped NEET UG but want a university seat like Hyderabad’s, which admitted only on NEET UG 2026 merit.
- Anyone who needs to earn soon: NCAHP-pattern courses now take 5 years with internship, and Lenskart freshers report ₹2–4.2 lakh a year.
- Aspirants for Delhi government optometrist posts who will be over 30 when they apply: the 2025 rules set 21–30 for direct recruits, with relaxations.
- Students planning to practise in Australia without time for the OCANZ exam (two written and two clinical parts) and a separate eye-medicines (ocular therapeutics) requirement for general registration.
- Families expecting a permanent government salary: in 2026 several public optometrist jobs were contracts, such as ₹18,000 a month at NHM Dadra Nagar Haveli.
Often confused
- Optometrist vs ophthalmologist vs optician: who does what?
- An ophthalmologist is a medical doctor with a postgraduate eye degree who treats eye disease and operates. An optometrist (B.Optom) tests vision, prescribes and fits glasses and contact lenses, and refers disease. A dispensing optician makes and fits spectacles from someone else’s prescription; in India this is a short course and the work is mostly in optical stores.
- B.Optom vs Diploma in Optometry: is the diploma enough?
- The diploma is a 2-year course; KGMU Lucknow lists ₹73,000 for its first year (2025). The degree is what overseas regulators look for: Australia’s OCANZ exam needs 4 years of full-time study, or 3 years plus a year of supervised practice and a professional exam.
Sources (31)
- Careers360 — AIIMS Paramedical exam 2026 (exam date, B.Optom subject eligibility)
- Physics Wallah — AIIMS Paramedical 2026 (registration, result date, age, marks)
- FindMyCollege — AIIMS Paramedical application form 2026 (extended deadline)
- University of Hyderabad — B.Optometry admissions 2026–27 (NEET UG, 5-year, last date)
- Careers360 — University of Hyderabad begins B.Optometry admissions through NEET UG 2026 (30 seats)
- Collegedunia — SASTRA B.Optom fees 2026, duration and admission
- JIPMER — B.Sc admission prospectus 2026–27 (B.Optom 5 seats)
- WBJEEB — JENPAS(UG) 2026 (exam 7 June 2026, B.Optom listed)
- SRM Institute of Science and Technology — Health science UG (NCAHP) admissions 2026
- L V Prasad Eye Institute — Inviting applications for Bachelor of Optometry (with GITAM, five years)
- Arka Jain University — B.Optom under the NCAHP framework (4 years + 1-year internship from 2026)
- Collegedunia — AIIMS New Delhi B.Optom fees (2021–22)
- Collegedunia — JIPMER B.Optom fees (2023–24)
- GetMyUni — Manipal College of Health Professions B.Optom fees 2026
- AmbitionBox — Lenskart salaries, Thane (optometrist fresher)
- AmbitionBox — Lenskart jobs (optometrist, 0–5 years)
- AmbitionBox — Sankara Nethralaya optometrist salary (48 salaries, updated 6 July 2025)
- AmbitionBox — Apollo Hospitals senior optometrist salary
- StaffNews — 7th CPC upgraded levels for medical and paramedical common categories (2016): Optometrist Level 6, Senior Optometrist Level 7
- LegitQuest — Optometrist Recruitment Rules, 2025 (Delhi; Level 5, age 21–30)
- CentralStateJobs — AIIMS Delhi Optometrist (ENT, ICMR project) recruitment 2026
- FreeJobAlert — NHM DNH and DD recruitment 2026, walk-in for optometrist
- StaffNews — Cabinet approves 2% DA hike: DA at 60% from 1 January 2026 (April 2026)
- Jobs and Skills Australia — Optometrists and Orthoptists (ANZSCO 2514) earnings
- Optometry Board of Australia — International practitioners (OCANZ, COE, ocular therapeutics)
- BMC Medical Education (2020) — overseas-qualified optometrists and OCANZ COE eligibility
- NCAHP — FAQ (10 categories, including ophthalmic sciences)
- Mondaq — Regulatory yearly wrap 2021: healthcare in India (optometrists under ophthalmic sciences)
- Careers360 — New NCAHP rules: allied healthcare professionals must register, renew with CPD (2026)
- VisionPlus — Dispensing opticians: today’s need of the Indian optical industry
- Collegedunia — KGMU Lucknow Diploma in Optometry fees
Realistic salary outcomes
Elite outcome
Top ~5%
Strong outcome
Top ~20%
Median outcome
Typical early-career outcome
Weak outcome
Lower quartile
Complete cost breakdown
Tuition Fees (per year)
Total estimated cost
₹3L – ₹14L
Source-checked — see sources & methodologyfor entire 4–5 years including internship (3 + 1 in older programmes; 4 + 1 under the NCAHP pattern from 2026–27 at the University of Hyderabad, SRM and LVPEI/GITAM) program
Scholarships available
Top colleges
Salary progression
Fresher
2 Years
Specialist
Clinic/Lead
LPA = lakh rupees a year. How we estimate salaries
How your college changes the outcome
Package ranges by college tier. We have not yet written named-college detail for this course.
Placement
70-90% where campus placements exist
Avg package
₹4-8 LPA
Placement
45-70%
Avg package
₹3-5 LPA
Placement
20-45%
Avg package
₹2-3.5 LPA
Off-campus reality
Internship hospital quality and case logs matter more than course title.
Eligibility
12th science, usually PCB or PCM. AIIMS asks for 50% (45% SC/ST) in Physics, Chemistry, Biology or Maths and English, and age 17 by 31 December (2026). The University of Hyderabad admitted on NEET UG 2026 merit only, and SASTRA counts NEET at 25%.
Skills required
Entrance Exams
Reality check
Stress level
Moderate
Burnout risk
Moderate
AI disruption
Low
Daily reality
Optometrists test vision, prescribe lenses within scope, handle contact lenses, screen for eye problems, and refer medical cases to ophthalmologists.
Work culture
Work hours are usually predictable, but optical retail includes sales targets and weekends.
Competition
Moderate; demand exists but salaries depend on city and clinical exposure.
Saturation
Retail optometry can be crowded in metros; hospital-based specialty skills are stronger.
Layoffs
Hospital and optical-chain roles are fairly stable; retail expansion cycles affect hiring.
AI disruption
Automated refraction helps screening but patient assessment, fitting, and referrals remain human-led.
Things this career rarely advertises
- 01Weak clinical training limits confidence.
- 02Retail roles may push sales.
- 03State registration rules are evolving.
- 04Specialisation improves salary ceiling.
Placement & career opportunities
Alternative paths to consider
Career roadmap
Health sciences
Clinical instruments
Specialise
Registration and growth
At-a-glance career snapshot
Scores derived from the course's demand, stability, AI risk, work-life balance, and senior-salary potential. Each axis is 0–5.
Honest pros & cons
✅ Pros
⚠️ Cons
Frequently asked questions
Q: Is optometry a doctor course?
No. Optometrists are allied eye-care professionals. Ophthalmologists are MBBS doctors with postgraduate eye specialisation.
Q: Can PCM students do optometry?
Many universities accept PCM or PCB because optics and biology both matter. Check the exact university eligibility.
Q: Is optometry better than BMLT?
Optometry is patient-facing eye care; BMLT is lab diagnostics. Choose based on whether you prefer direct patients or lab work.
Q: Can I open an optical clinic?
Yes, many optometrists work with optical stores or clinics, but business success depends on location, ethics, equipment, and referrals.
Q: Is NEET required for B.Optom admission?
At some places. In 2026 the University of Hyderabad admitted only on NEET UG merit and SASTRA gave NEET 25% weight, while AIIMS used its own paramedical exam and West Bengal used JENPAS(UG).
Q: Do optometrists need registration in India?
Optometrists come under the NCAHP Act’s ophthalmic sciences category. NCAHP’s registration regulations, gazetted on 15 September 2026, create state and national registers, renewed every 5 years with 15 hours of professional development a year.
Q: What is the salary of an optometrist at Lenskart?
AmbitionBox shows ₹2–4.2 lakh a year for freshers in Thane, and Lenskart job ads list ₹2.5–4.5 lakh for 0–5 years’ experience (checked October 2026).
Q: What is the government pay level for an optometrist?
Level 6 (₹35,400 basic) in the central 7th CPC list, with Senior Optometrist at Level 7. Delhi government’s 2025 rules use Level 5 (₹29,200 basic).
Q: Can an Indian optometrist work in Australia?
Yes, after OCANZ assesses your qualification and you pass its Competency in Optometry Examination. Registration with the Optometry Board of Australia and the visa are separate steps.
Sources & methodology
Allied-health regulation
National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions framework and university B.Optom structures
Course duration and eligibility
University of Hyderabad, SRM and LVPEI/GITAM 2026–27 notices; AIIMS Paramedical 2026 eligibility
Salary tiers
Hospital, optical-chain, and clinic hiring ranges
Found something out of date or inconsistent with newer data? Email nextclimbsupport@gmail.com — corrections ship within a week.
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