Explorethe education hubof North India
Dehradun — where Nav Chetna has taught for twenty-one years.
About Dehradun
Nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas, Dehradun is one of India's most liveable and fast-growing cities. Its pleasant climate, cultural heritage and unusually deep educational ecosystem have made it a destination for students, researchers and professionals from across North India and beyond.
Strategically placed between the Ganges and Yamuna river systems, the city combines workable modern infrastructure with genuine natural surroundings — a combination that suits sustained academic work and a decent quality of life at the same time.
Rich history and cultural heritage
Dehradun's name comes from Dera — a camp — and Doon, the valley that holds it. Guru Ram Rai established his camp here in 1676, and the town grew around it. The British made it a centre for survey, forestry and military training in the nineteenth century, and those institutions are still here: the Survey of India, the Forest Research Institute and the Indian Military Academy.
That history shaped the character of the place. Dehradun has been a town of schools, institutes and training establishments for well over a century, which is why it carries the reputation it does.
Climate and setting
The valley sits at roughly 700 metres, between the Himalayan foothills to the north and the Shivalik range to the south, with the Ganges and Yamuna on either side. The result is a climate that suits study: summers rarely become oppressive, winters are cold but not severe, and the monsoon is heavy between July and September.
For students from the plains, the practical difference is that the working day stays usable through May and June — which matters when your timetable includes clinical postings and laboratory sessions.
An established education ecosystem
Dehradun holds one of the densest concentrations of educational institutions in North India — universities, professional colleges, boarding schools, coaching centres and research bodies. For a student that density is worth something concrete: libraries, hospitals that take clinical trainees, employers who are used to hiring local graduates, and a peer group studying the same examinations.
Nav Chetna has been part of that ecosystem for twenty-one years, across two campuses — Maduwala, near Bala Sundri Mandir, and Garhi Cantt on Dakra Road.
Getting here
Jolly Grant Airport is about 25 km from the city with daily flights to Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Lucknow. Dehradun railway station is the terminus for direct trains from Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Varanasi and Amritsar. By road it is roughly 235 km from Delhi, about six hours on the Delhi–Dehradun corridor, with regular bus services from ISBT Kashmere Gate.
From within Uttarakhand, Dehradun is the natural hub — direct buses run from Tehri, Pauri, Uttarkashi, Chamoli, Rishikesh, Haridwar and Haldwani, which is how a large share of our students travel.
Cost of living
Dehradun is markedly cheaper than Delhi, Chandigarh or Bengaluru. Shared student accommodation, mess food, local transport and books are all within reach of a family budgeting on Uttarakhand incomes — which is part of why we hold our fee schedule where we do.
Hostel accommodation with mess facilities is available on both campuses, and college transport connects them to the main points of the city.
Beyond the classroom
Rishikesh is 45 minutes away, Haridwar an hour, Mussoorie about ninety minutes up the hill. Rajaji National Park sits on the city's edge. Within Dehradun there is Robber's Cave, Sahastradhara, the Forest Research Institute campus and the Clock Tower quarter.
None of this is why you would choose a college. But three or four years is a long time to live somewhere, and it is worth knowing that the somewhere is pleasant.
Seats are limited. Start your application today.
Nursing, allied health and pharmacy intakes are capped by the councils that approve them, and they fill early. Apply online, or walk in to either campus and talk to a counsellor — there is no obligation and no charge for the conversation.
