Diploma in Food and Nutrition: Admission 2025, Syllabus, Eligibility, Subjects, Colleges, Careers

A Diploma in Food & Nutrition is a 6-month to 1-year course that aims to provide students with practical and theoretical information on the matters of food science, nutrition, dietetics, and health. The course entails basic nutrition, food safety, meal planning, diet therapy, community nutrition, and food preservation. The program helps the learners to be prepared with skills to evaluate nutritional requirements, diverge diets for various populations, and encourage healthy eating.

The general requirements are that candidates must have passed their 10+2 exams in any recognized board with good minimum of 40 – 50% according to the institute to pursue a course in Diploma in Food and Nutrition. Entry normally follows merit or an institutional entrance exam. There are also those colleges that could administer six counseling sessions or interviews.

Diploma in Food & Nutrition course fee ranges between INR 15,000 and INR 1,00,000 depending on the institute type. Some of the best colleges that provide this course are the National Institute of Nutrition (Hyderabad), Lady Irwin College (Delhi University), SNDT Women's University (Mumbai), and Christ University (Bangalore). Colleges set up by the government are likely to have cheaper fees as opposed to the privately set colleges.

Upon the completion of the diploma, the graduates may work as nutrition assistants, dietitians (after studying further), food safety officers, community nutrition workers, health educators, or wellness coaches. They are hired in hospitals, wellness centers, food industries, NGOs, and health departments in government. Entry-level pay scales are around INR 2-4 LPA, whereas an experienced professional or a person with a higher degree qualification can earn up to INR 6-8 LPA or above in special cases.

Diploma in Food and Nutrition Highlights

Given below are the basic key highlights for the Diploma in Food and Nutrition:

What is a Diploma in Food & Nutrition?

The Diploma in Food and Nutrition is a diploma program (1 to 2 years) that provides an introduction to students to the basics of human nutritional science and the basics of food science. It fits perfectly well to people who are enthusiastic about health, wellness, and diet management and who want to make a career in healthcare, fitness, or the food industry.

The course teaches in subjects like nutritional principles, balanced diet, food preservation, metabolism, public health, and community nutrition. It also encompasses the study of diet counseling, therapeutic nutrition, and diet safety practices. The program is designed to learn technicality and analysis abilities required in nutrition-related services such as hospitals, non-governmental organizations, wellness spa, and food industries.

Also, read Diploma in Food Production

Why Study Diploma in Food & Nutrition?

The study of Food and Nutrition is not simply that of a science of diet it is much more intimately intertwined with the health of the people, their wellbeing, cultural approaches to food, and also equates to sustainable living. A Diploma in Food and Nutrition* is quite an all-encompassing program that is scientifically involved and practically resourceful, so that students can learn how food affects health and quality of life on both the individual and community scale.

Some of the reasons why it is wise and effective to study Diploma in Food & Nutrition are as follows:

• The course provides you with knowledge about the functioning of nutrients in the body and the way dietary regimes affect health and disease. The courses cover such aspects as human physiology, balanced diets, meal planning, and food safety to show how nutrition science is used in everyday life and practice.
• Throughout the course, you will learn about the interaction between nutrition and the human organism, allowing you to educate individuals on the right decisions on a better diet, which will positively affect their health and well-being.
• The program will provide you with skills of customizing diets, participating in health programs in the community, and collaborating with physicians and nutritionists in hospitals and clinics.
• As people are increasingly becoming worried about lifestyle diseases and obesity, your role in nutrition can make a difference by influencing people to follow the right food habits and on the vitality of the masses.

Who Should Study Diploma in Food and Nutrition?

The following are the categories of candidates that are most suitable to pursue a Diploma in Food & Nutrition:

• Interested students are those who are knowledgeable in the area of health and wellness, together with the science in the manner in how nutrition impacts the human body.
• Persons with a science or home science (preferred) background and interested in working in dietetics, fitness, or public health.
• Individuals who love devising well-balanced diets, interacting with others in a bid to enhance their health conditions, or suspect nutritional advice.
• People who are interested in working as diet technicians, health coaches, or nutrition assistants at hospitals, non-governmental organizations, fitness facilities, or wellness start-ups.
• Students who complete the diploma hope to have further specialization in nutrition and food science or a diploma in public health nutrition.
• Candidates intending to volunteer in the society to create awareness on nutrition and fight malnutrition and healthy eating habits.

Diploma in Food and Nutrition Eligibility Criteria

The eligibility criteria that an applicant has to meet to qualify to enroll in Diploma in Food & Nutrition course are as follows. Note that it will be a little bit different between colleges or institutions:

• Passing 10+2 or equivalent with any stream but a background in science or Home Science stream and the board should be recognized.
• At least all 45-50 marks at the level of 10 + 2 (with relaxation in the case of SC/ST/OBC categories in the norms of the institutions).
• The applicants should have studied either Biology, Chemistry or Home Science at intermediate (this is not compulsory, but many institutes prefer this).
• The students whose results awaited until 10+2 exam can apply provisionally and the final selection will be done after document verification during the admission process.

Diploma in Food and Nutrition Colleges in India

Provided below is the list of some of the Top Diploma in Food & Nutrition Colleges in India.Students must be eligible in order to pursue a Diploma in Food and Nutrition from these colleges.

Diploma in Food & Nutrition Admission Process 2025

Entering a Diploma in Food and Nutrition is mostly merit or direct entry/interview conducted on an institute scale. This is the step-wise admission process at Lady Irwin College, Delhi:

Step 1: On the official Lady Irwin College website, log in and apply through the form provided to the Diploma in Food & Nutrition. Under-representation of facts, give your own and educational history.

Step 2: The admission to this course at Lady Irwin College is based on the merit of the candidate. The next step is to fill out the admission form for the Lady Irwin College.

Required Documents:

• 12th mark sheet and 10th mark sheet
• Transfer Certificate (TC)
• Character Certificate
• Identity verification (Aadhaar card, Passport etc.)
• Category certification (formed up)
• Passport-sized photographs
• Migration Certificate (in case available )

Diploma in Food and Nutrition Syllabus

Typically, a Diploma in Food & Nutrition is a 6-month to 1-2-year program divided into semesters. Below is a sample syllabus for the Diploma in Food & Nutrition at Lady Irwin College, Delhi:

Diploma in Food and Nutrition Job Opportunities in India

After completing the Diploma in Food & Nutrition program, students can pursue various Job Profiles. Given below are some of the famous Job Roles you can pursue after completing the course. Along with the top recruiters and Average Pay.

Diploma in Food and Nutrition FAQs