Diploma in Physiotherapy- Eligibility, Admission Process, Salary & Career Prospects

Updated February 5, 2022

Diploma in Physiotherapy (DPT) is a 2-year undergraduate programme for students who have completed their 10+2 examination and are intended to alleviate physical disabilities & injuries and improve the human physical condition. It is a professional paramedical course that enables the students to treat the patients appropriately. Under the course, students are provided various aspects, skills and in-depth knowledge of physical therapy that help them deal with patients. Students enrolled in the course will study subjects such as electrotherapy, behavioural science, exercise therapy, anatomy, physiology, kinesiology, and even communication skills that will enable them to interact with and counsel their patients effectively.

This programme is designed to produce competent professionals who could assess and formulate physiotherapeutic diagnoses and provide appropriate treatments to patients with a physical disability, functional limitation and other illnesses and injuries. Moreover, it also aims to develop and cultivate decision-making skills, critical thinking, problem-solving, which are essential for professional practice as a physiotherapist. But, the course requires specific eligibility criteria to enter into the program.

Diploma in Physiotherapy Course Details

A Diploma in Physical Therapy often called a Diploma in Physiotherapy, is an undergraduate level diploma course in medical nursing that produces skilled professionals who reduce patients’ functional limitations. Basically, physiotherapists are the professionals who help individuals of all ages suffering from physical ailments caused by accidents, illness, or the process of ageing. They use several physical therapy techniques to improve the capability to use the body areas that are affected by illness or injuries. For instance, arthritis is a long-term condition that causes limitations in the normal function of the individual. To be precise, arthritis causes stiff and painful joints in the patients. By applying appropriate physiotherapy techniques, the professional helps keep joints flexible (able to move) and helps strengthen their muscles. Physiotherapists can work in private practice, hospitals, or in social services. They work with social services like they offer assistance in the community for older individuals.

It is a popular course in India, and worldwide that deals with physical therapy and its allied healthcare areas. This programme has been designed to produce skilled and qualified physiotherapists who will be competent enough to carry out efficient treatment to reduce the impairments and disabilities of the patients. Aspirants can access the field right after completing their intermediate or 12th examination with basic requirements.

Eligibility for Diploma in Physiotherapy

Candidates must satisfy the criteria and requirements set by the institutions to get admission to the Diploma in Physiotherapy Course. Aspirants who do not meet the essential qualifications cannot get admission to universities/colleges. Notwithstanding, you may find a slightly different eligibility criterion to other institutions. So, candidates must satisfy the eligibility requirements specified by the universities/colleges. Among them are-

(a) To be eligible to get admission to the Diploma in Physiotherapy Course, candidates must have completed their 10+2 level examination from a recognized board with a minimum of 50% marks in science.

(b) Candidates must have secured atleast 50% aggregate marks in the 12th board exam with compulsory subjects such as Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and/or Mathematics.

(c) Relaxation of 5% marks for the candidates belonging to SC/ST/PwD (atleast 45% aggregate marks are required for the mentioned candidates).

(d) For this course, several universities/colleges also conduct entrance examinations to provide admission into the course. And, candidates would have to qualify for the entrance examination to access the course. Some of the state level and national level entrance exams are IPU CET, BCECE, LPUNEST CPNET, to mention a few.

Admission Process to Diploma in Physical Therapy

Admission to the course does not require lengthy eligibility criteria; students can enrol in the programme with fulfilling basic qualifications. Aspirants inspired to provide treatment to physically or mentally distorted patients can access the course right after completing their 12th or intermediate examination. Aspirants can gain admission to the course either based on marks secured in the 12th examination or qualifying for the Entrance Examination. Some colleges or universities offer a seat in the course based on candidates’ intermediate scores. However, most colleges provide entry into the programme after qualifying for the entrance examination of the respective colleges or national level entrance examinations. I have written up the admission process into the course for your convenience-

Merit-Based Entry to the Course-

(a) After completing the intermediate or 12th exam, aspirants can apply for Diploma in Physiotherapy Programme.

(b) Based on your scorecard in the intermediate Examination along with other defined admission parameters, universities/colleges will shortlist candidate names.

(c) After being shortlisted, the aspirants would be called for a personal interview and/or Group Discussion.

(d) After that candidate’s overall performance is recorded. Based on overall performance, including their past academic record and performance in the personal interview or Group Discussions, the candidates will be shortlisted for admissions to the program.

Entrance-Based Entry to the Course-

Several reputed Colleges/universities provide admission to the course on the basis of scores obtained in the entrance exam. So, to get admission into the diploma in Physical therapy, the students would have to qualify for the Entrance Examination. Here is the process for admission in the course-

(a) Candidates must check whether they are completing the basic and essential qualifications for the program or not. If the candidates are eligible, they can apply for admission to the interested colleges/universities.

(b) The candidates would have to sit in the entrance exam and secure excellent scores/ranks in the respective entrance.

(c) Once the candidates score above the cut-off, their names will be shortlisted for the counselling round.

(d) It is the last phase of admission into the programme. In this phase, candidates would be selected based on their score in the entrance exam and performance in the interview round. If student names are shortlisted, admission to the Diploma in Physiotherapy is finally granted.

Diploma in Physiotherapy Course Syllabus

A Diploma in physical therapy course comprises several subjects the students would have to study in their course frame. These subjects are taught to the students to gain excellent knowledge and skills that would help to alleviate the challenges faced by the patients. Every patient requires a professional who can help curtail patients’ physical impairment and disabilities. So, the students are trained to help patients restore normal physical conditions under the course. As this program is a 2-years diploma course, it has numerous essential subjects that students have to go through in two years. Some of the important disciplines in the course are-

 Diploma in Physiotherapy Fees

A Diploma in Physical therapy is a skill-oriented and professional course that covers a range of advanced studies in physiotherapy. As the name suggests, this program uses physical motion, force and activities to correct impairments or deformities and thus helps rehabilitate the patient. The demand for professionals in this course has sharply increased as today’s people are suffering from several physical impairments, injuries, and illnesses and are required to help them. Even, WHO has urged to increase the number of physiotherapist professionals so that every single person could avail the treatment efficiently and effectively. Since it is one of the popular courses worldwide that teach various subjects, the colleges will charge different fees to the students. The Diploma in Physiotherapy program fee varies significantly in every country. The average annual fee of the diploma in Physical Therapy course in India is Rs. 10,000 -5,00,000.

Career Prospects after Pursuing Diploma in Physiotherapy

Students after completing the Diploma in Physiotherapy course will be able to find work at rehabilitation clinics, physiotherapy centres, gyms, physiotherapy clinics, sports franchises, to name a few. Moreover, having Diplomas in Physiotherapy, students can work in many employment areas like Pharma Industry, Health Institutions, Defence Medical Organizations, Orthopaedic Departments, Colleges & Universities, and Private & Government Sectors. Apart from that, if a student wants to pursue advanced studies in the same field can do Bachelors in Physiotherapy, a Master’s in Physiotherapy, or a Doctoral in Physiotherapy.

Bachelor in Physiotherapy (BPT):

If students are wondering what to do next after obtaining a diploma degree, then it is one of the choices they can choose. This course will advance your skills and knowledge to a greater extent. Basically, the Bachelor in Physiotherapy is a 4-years undergraduate programme that deals with the science of physical movement and trains the students on how to maximize the physical potential of the patients. The students can avail of the programme by qualifying for the entrance exams conducted at the national and state level like – IPU CET, BCECE, VEE, etc. However, several institutions provide direct admission to the course either based on academic aggregate or first-come, first-serve basis.

B.Sc Physiotherapy:

Bachelor of Science in Physiotherapy is also a choice for the Diplomas students. It is a two-year graduate-level programme that provides knowledge of various physiotherapy techniques to the students for treating injuries and disabilities. After completing the course, they are well skilled and qualified to provide preventive and therapeutic services which aim at restoring function and preventing disability arising from disease, trauma or injury. The students can access the programme either based on the entrance exam or merit list.

Master’s in Physiotherapy-

Students who are interested in research can opt for a doctoral programme. After obtaining the PhD degree, opportunities open up in top research and academic institutions.

Jobs for Diploma in Physiotherapy

Healthcare centre is growing at a rapid pace in India, and this growth has opened the door for numerous job opportunities in the medical as well as paramedical professions. The sectors required well-qualified professionals who could correct the patients’ deformities, injuries, and illnesses. They are needed in various places along with hospitals such as community, senior care centres, nursing homes, special schools, fitness centres, sports teams, industrial, private centres or private hospitals and government agencies. This course is a job-oriented curriculum that will help you to land excellent job profiles such as Professor, Rehabilitation Specialist, Consultant, Therapy Manager, Research Assistant, Sports Physiotherapist, to mention a few. Moreover, the students can also be self-employed private physiotherapists.

Some of Common Employment Areas are-

• Hospitals and rehabilitation centres
• Physiotherapy clinics and multidisciplinary clinics (for example, chiropractic clinics)
• Community health centres
• Fitness centres
• Child development centres
• Gyms
• Sport and recreation facilities
• Home care and continuing care facilities

Some of the Common Job Profiles-

• Rehabilitation Specialist
• Consultant
• Physiotherapist
• Sports Physiotherapist
• Community Physiotherapist
• Private Practitioner

Diploma in Physiotherapy Salary

A diploma in physiotherapy is a professional course that deals with Physical healthcare and its allied areas. The main focus of this course is to provide physical medicine and rehabilitation treatment to the patients. It is a highly sought after profession in India as well as all over the world. Physiotherapists are responsible for reducing the patients’ impairment and physical or mental limitations by using certain physical therapy techniques. As the professionals working in physical medicine and rehabilitation are well qualified and skilled, they are paid a considerable annual salary.

Notwithstanding, the salary of the physiotherapists depends on several factors, including job profiles, skills possessed, employment areas, the institute from which they pursued the course, to mention a few. Generally, the starting salary of the employee is INR 15k-20k. In the case of job in the government sector, the salary of the Diplomas will depend on the pay band and grade.

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