Key differences
Jump to the supporting row.
Comparison
General Surgery
Psychiatry
Training & seats
NMC broad-specialty seatsOfficial data
NBEMS DNB post-MBBS seatsOfficial data
NBEMS post-diploma seatsOfficial data
Demand & work
Healthcare / service needEvidence summary
National analyses document substantial unmet surgical need; operative demand is strongly tied to hospital infrastructure.Supporting evidence ↗
India’s National Mental Health Survey documents substantial prevalence and treatment gaps, while specialist supply remains limited.Supporting evidence ↗
Typical work settingsEditorial synthesis
Government and private hospitals, surgical units, academia and procedure-driven practice.
Hospitals, outpatient practice, consultation-liaison, addiction services, academia and digital mental health.
Practice economics
Capital to enter independent practiceEditorial synthesis
Usually hospital/infrastructure dependent; independent surgical practice requires access to operating facilities.
Low for outpatient consultation practice; hospital and rehabilitation models require more infrastructure.
After MD / MS / DNB
NEET-SS courses this degree qualifies you for2026 eligibilityCourses can be shared across feeder specialties. The number is an eligibility count, not a count of courses exclusive to that specialty. NEET-SS only; INI-SS pathways are separate. Duplicate course entries in the bulletin are counted once.
13
- Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery
- Surgical Gastroenterology
- Hepato-Pancreato Biliary Surgery
- Urology
- Vascular Surgery
- Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery
- Thoracic Surgery
- Paediatric Cardiothoracic Vascular Surgery
- Neuro Surgery
- Paediatric Surgery
- Surgical Oncology
- Head and Neck Surgery
- Endocrine Surgery
2
- Geriatric Mental Health
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
NEET-SS route open to broad specialties2026 eligibility
Medical Genetics is available through the bulletin’s broad-specialty eligibility route.NEET-SS 2026 bulletin · Annexure A ↗
Medical Genetics is available through the same broad-specialty eligibility route.NEET-SS 2026 bulletin · Annexure A ↗
Other further trainingEditorial synthesis
Fellowships and focused training in minimally invasive surgery, robotics, trauma, endoscopy and other procedure-based areas. Recognition varies by institution and program.
Focused training in addiction psychiatry, consultation-liaison psychiatry, neuropsychiatry, psychotherapy and other fellowships. Recognition varies.
Technology & industry
AI & technology exposureEditorial synthesis
Risk prediction, video analysis, preoperative planning, intraoperative guidance and robotics.
Screening, language analysis, digital phenotyping and prediction remain adjunctive with privacy and bias concerns.
Research & industry pathwaysEditorial synthesis
Surgical devices, robotics, medtech, clinical research and hospital systems.
CNS pharma, digital mental health, clinical research and behavioral-health services.
NMC and NBEMS figures are regulatory snapshots and may be revised. NEET-SS eligibility reflects the 2026 Information Bulletin; counts show courses a feeder degree qualifies for, including courses shared with other feeder specialties. INI-SS pathways are outside these counts. Reviewed 1 Nov 2026. How we source data.