How to Become a Unani Practitioner (NEET + BUMS)

Who is a Unani Practitioner?

A Unani practitioner is an individual who practises the ancient form of medicine known as Unani Medicine or Unani Tibb. This form of medicine was refined and given shape by a Persian polymath known as Ibn Sina (also known as Avicenna in the West).

A Unani practitioner's approach to medicine is to place importance on an individual's mijaz or temperament. The practitioner follows learnt practices of Unani medicine to treat their patient.

What is a Unani Practitioner's Job Description?

An individual who studies to become a practitioner of Unani medicine has several roles to play. Their day-to-day tasks include:

1. Understanding their patients and their physiology in order to best treat them. This can include taking a comprehensive medical history.
2. Providing advice to their patients as to the treatment they require.
3. Performing Unani therapies such as cupping, purging, massages, etc.

What Skills are Needed to be a Unani Practitioner?

The skills needed to become a practitioner of Unani medicine are as follows:

1. Good Communication Skills

These skills include both speaking and listening skills. As a doctor, they must listen carefully to their patients and be able to communicate a treatment plan effectively. They must also remain calm and maintain a soothing tone while speaking to patients to ensure they remain calm.

2. Organisational Skills

A practitioner of Unani medicine must be organised and keep track of patient files. They must also be organised when it comes to taking notes, to ensure they maintain accurate details of their patients.

3. Patience

The practice of Unani medicine involves long-term planning. Results may take time to materialise and doctors must remain patient and trust the system. They must also ensure their patients remain calm and understand the treatment plan.

What are the Benefits of Being a Unani Practitioner?

There are many benefits to becoming a Unani practitioner:

1. High Sense of Job Satisfaction

Healing an individual is an act which gives a person a rewarding sense of satisfaction. It makes the act of going to work each day exciting and gives one a sense of purpose.

2. Job Security

India has the highest number of research and healthcare institutions in the field of Unani medicine. It is also one of the leading countries in the field of Unani medicine. As a result, there is always a need for Unani practitioners and that comes with a sense of job security.

3. Flexibility

There are many different institutions a Unani practitioner can work in. They can work at a private clinic or a hospital (both private and government). They can also work in the field of research or become a teacher of Unani medicine.

How to Become a Unani Practitioner?

An interested candidate can become a Unani practitioner by studying for a BUMS degree. The full form of BUMS is Bachelor of Unani Medicine and Surgery. BUMS is the first step an individual can take towards becoming a Unani practitioner.

BUMS is a five-and-a-half year undergraduate medical course, including a mandatory one-year internship. BUMS education and training is regulated by the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM) — constituted under the NCISM Act 2020, which replaced the earlier Central Council of Indian Medicine. Unani medicine falls under NCISM's Board of Unani. Those interested must fulfil the eligibility criteria to apply for the course and qualify in the NEET UG examination.

Details of the BUMS Course

Students studying BUMS will study various subjects which will help them become good Unani practitioners. These include:

1. Munafeul Aza (Physiology)
2. Ilmul Jarahat (Surgery)
3. Tareekh-e-Tibb (History of Medicine)
4. Amraz-e-Atfal (Paediatrics)

What are the Courses Available to Become a Unani Practitioner?

A student must qualify in NEET UG before seeking admission to a medical college to study a BUMS course. BUMS is the only undergraduate course in India available for those who want to become practitioners of Unani medicine.

Colleges Offering a BUMS Course

Here are some of the colleges offering a BUMS degree:

What are the Entrance Exams Required to Become a Unani Practitioner?

NEET UG is the mandatory national entrance examination for admission to BUMS and all other AYUSH undergraduate courses in India. NEET UG 2026 is scheduled for 21 June 2026. After qualifying NEET UG, candidates can participate in centralised AYUSH counselling conducted by the Ayush Admissions Central Counselling Committee (AACCC) at aaccc.gov.in for the 15% All India Quota (AIQ) seats in government, government-aided, deemed, and central university colleges. The remaining seats are filled through state AYUSH counselling.

Individual states may also conduct state-level common entrance tests. However, NEET UG scores are mandatory at all BUMS-admitting institutions. The key requirements for NEET UG are:

What Specialisation Can One Do After a Unani Practitioner Degree?

Unani medicine is itself a specialised field. After completing BUMS, graduates can practise as Unani physicians. For further academic specialisation, students may pursue postgraduate courses such as MD (Unani) in various disciplines. Postgraduate admissions are conducted through NEET PG (AYUSH).

What are the BUMS Course Fees in India?

Here are the indicative fees for some BUMS colleges (figures as of 2025-26; verify directly with each institution):

Loans for Students

Banks across the country offer students loans for their higher studies with interest rates as low as 7.5%. There are also organisations such as Propelld offering 100% digitised private student loans.