Male Nursing Graduates Surge by 450 Percent at Bengaluru RGUHS Convocation
The Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS) in Bengaluru has recorded an unprecedented surge in male nursing graduates, with men accounting for 33 percent of the BSc Nursing students at the university's recent convocation. While nursing has historically been a female-dominated field, the latest graduation figures show a significant shift in career choices, even as the gender gap in MBBS programs continues to persist.
Out of 31,057 students graduating with a BSc in Nursing from the university, more than 10,000 were men. This represents a 450 percent growth in the number of male nursing graduates over the last five years. In 2021, only 1,838 male students graduated out of a total of 10,804 nursing students.
In contrast to the shifting dynamics in nursing, the gender gap in the university's MBBS program remained steady. In 2026, RGUHS saw 4,125 male students and 3,712 female students graduate from the MBBS program. Since 2022, the program has maintained an average gap of 465 students between men and women, with the difference peaking at 774 students in 2025.
Other medical and allied health courses at the university also showed varying gender representation. In the pharmacy program, 3,720 male students graduated compared to 2,991 female students. Conversely, the Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) course remained heavily dominated by female students, with 1,752 women graduating compared to just 727 men.
RGUHS Vice-Chancellor Dr. Bhagvan BC attributed the rising interest in nursing among men to high job security and growing global demand. He stated that graduates are able to find jobs immediately after finishing the course, with abundant opportunities in countries like Japan, Australia, and Germany.
S. Shivakumar, president of the Karnataka State Association of Managements of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences Institutions, noted that male nurses are highly preferred in several sectors, including airports, industries, ambulance services, and home care. He added that many graduates gain one year of local experience before moving abroad for better pay.
