Bachelor of Optometry

5-Year Full-Time Undergraduate Degree Program

Affiliated to Veer Narmad South Gujarat University, Surat

The Bachelor of Optometry (B.Optom.) at Hari Jyot College of Optometry, Navsari is a five-year full-time degree program — four years of academic study (eight semesters) followed by one year of rotational clinical internship. The program is designed in line with the national framework for optometry education under the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP) Act, 2021, preparing graduates for careers as primary eye care professionals.

As part of the Allied Health Care profession, the program combines comprehensive academic knowledge with extensive hands-on clinical exposure at Rotary Eye Institute — a NABH (Entry Level) accredited, ISO 9001:2015 certified eye hospital — preparing students for successful careers in eye care and vision science.

What You Will Learn to Do as an Optometrist

• Conduct primary examination of the eye.
• Diagnose ocular and related systemic & neurological diseases and refer cases to concerned professionals.
• Prescribe corrective measures including spectacles, contact lenses, low vision aids and vision therapy.
• Evaluate and manage cross eyes (squint) — ocular motility malfunctions such as phorias, tropias and other neuromuscular anomalies.
• Design, manufacture, prescribe and fit all kinds of optical aids.
• Undertake public health optometry projects, school screening and community eye camps.
• Counsel patients with partial vision, color vision defects and other hereditary ocular defects.

Course Duration

Total 5 Years (4 + 1)

• 4 years of academics (Eight Semesters)
• 1 year of Clinical Internship rotating through various departments at Rotary Eye Institute

Aligned with the NCAHP Curriculum

The B.Optom. program follows the Competency-Based Curriculum for Optometry notified under the NCAHP Act, 2021 — the national standard for optometry education in India.

Key features of the NCAHP-aligned program:

• Five-year structure: 4 years of academics (8 semesters) + 1 year of compulsory clinical internship.
• Competency-based training focused on clinical skills, evidence-based practice and patient care.
• Interdisciplinary learning: pharmacology, community optometry, epidemiology and research methodology.
• Professional skills: ethics, communication and practice management.
• Graduates are eligible for registration as Optometrists (Ophthalmic Sciences Professional) under NCAHP / the State Council.

Eligibility Criteria for B.Optom.

1. Candidate must have passed Senior Secondary (10+2) or equivalent examination with Physics, Chemistry, Biology (PCB) or Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics (PCM) with minimum 50% marks.
2. Must have completed 17 years of age at the time of admission, or will complete that age on or before 31st December of the year of admission to the first year of the course.
3. A medical fitness certificate is mandatory, endorsed by a Government medical officer.
4. Reservation policy for admission shall be as per State/Central Government norms.

Admission Procedure

As per NCAHP norms, admission to B.Optom. is on the basis of Senior Secondary (10+2) merit — no NEET or separate national entrance examination is required. The admission process is conducted by the State admission authority: for Gujarat, the Central Admission Committee, GMERS, Gandhinagar (Government of Gujarat), through the official portal medadmgujarat.org.

Intake: 40 Seats (B.Optom.)

Fee Structure

Fees are subject to approval by the Retd. Justice R. J. Shah Fees Committee, Government of Gujarat.

For the latest fee and admission details, please contact the institute directly:

• Call / WhatsApp: +91 70164 97652
• Email: admin@hjco.in

Hostel Facility

• On-campus hostel with mess facility available for both boys and girls.
• Students must abide by the rules and regulations framed by the college.
• Guests/relatives are not permitted to reside in student accommodation.

Clinical Training at Rotary Eye Institute

B.Optom. students train at Smt. L. M. Shah (Bilimorawala) Eye Hospital — Rotary Eye Institute, Navsari — with exposure to specialty clinics including Cataract, Glaucoma, Retina, Cornea, Squint, Laser Eye Treatment, ICL, Vision Therapy and more.

Students gain hands-on experience using advanced instruments such as:

• OCT
• Fundus Camera
• Automated Perimetry
• Photographic Slit Lamp
• B-scan & A-scan
• Excimer Laser

Career Options After B.Optom.

1. Private Practice — set up an independent optometry practice with flexible working hours.
2. Hospital and Clinic Settings — work alongside ophthalmologists in eye hospitals and specialty clinics.
3. Retail and Optical Chains — eye examinations, prescriptions and dispensing management.
4. Research and Development — vision care, eye health and optical technology innovation.
5. Teaching and Academia — train future optometrists at universities and colleges.
6. Corporate Sector — eyewear product development and vision-related consulting.
7. Public Health and Community Outreach — government and NGO screening programs.
8. Sports Vision Specialist — visual training and eye-hand coordination for athletes.
9. Vision Therapy and Rehabilitation — treating amblyopia (lazy eye), strabismus and binocular vision problems.
10. Optometry-related Sales and Marketing — optical product companies.

Higher Studies After B.Optom.

Graduates may pursue:

• Master of Optometry (M.Optom.)
• Ph.D. in Optometry
• Fellowship in Optometry