General Information

The Diploma in Audiometry Technician is a two-year paramedical training program designed to prepare students in hearing assessment and auditory health care. The curriculum covers auditory anatomy, sound acoustics, audiometric testing techniques, equipment operation, and hearing aid technology. Students gain theoretical knowledge and practical clinical experience to support audiologists and healthcare professionals in evaluating and managing auditory disorders accurately and ethically.

1. Course Duration: 2 Years
2. Minimum Qualification: 10+2 with Science stream
3. Course Category: PARAMEDICAL
4. Total Marks: 1200 (Theory 1200, 12 subjects)
5. Examination: An examination of the subjects of each year is held at the end of that year (Part-I, Part-II …).

Course Objectives

• Impart fundamental knowledge of auditory anatomy, acoustics, and standard medical terminology.
• Train students in operating audiometric instruments for pure tone and speech audiometry testing.
• Develop technical skills in hearing aid fitting, maintenance, and assistive listening technologies.
• Instill ethical patient care practices and safety protocols during diagnostic clinical audiometry procedures.

Learning Outcomes

• Conduct pure tone and speech audiometry tests under professional supervision.
• Operate, calibrate, and maintain standard clinical audiometric and acoustic equipment accurately.
• Assist in the selection, fitting, and basic maintenance of hearing aids.
• Record and document patient hearing evaluation data following medical protocols.
• Apply professional ethics, communication skills, and safety guidelines in clinical environments.

Pass & Division Criteria

The maximum marks and minimum pass marks of Theory and Practical of each subject are given in the Mark Distribution table below. To pass, a candidate must score the minimum pass marks separately in both Theory and Practical of every subject.

The division is decided on the aggregate percentage of marks obtained, as follows —

Mark Distribution

1st Year

2nd Year

Total marks of the course : 1200

Detailed Syllabus — 1st Year

1. Overview of the Auditory System — Introduction to outer, middle, and inner ear structures, their spatial orientation, and basic anatomical relationships within the temporal bone.
2. Structure of the External Ear — Gross anatomy of the pinna, external auditory meatus, cartilaginous and bony parts, skin lining, ceruminous glands, and blood supply.
3. Tympanic Membrane Anatomy — Detailed structure of the eardrum, layers, pars tensa, pars flaccida, annulus, landmark identification, and nerve and vascular supply.
4. Middle Ear Cleft and Ossicular Chain — Anatomy of the tympanic cavity, epitympanum, malleus, incus, stapes, ossicular joints, ligaments, and intratympanic muscles including tensor tympani.
5. Eustachian Tube and Mastoid System — Structure, anatomical course, physiological opening mechanisms of the Eustachian tube, aditus ad antrum, and mastoid air cell organization.
6. Inner Ear Bony Labyrinth — Architecture of the bony labyrinth, including vestibule, semicircular canals, cochlear turns, perilymphatic spaces, and internal auditory meatus anatomy.
7. Membranous Labyrinth and Organ of Corti — Structure of cochlear duct, scalae, basilar membrane, hair cells, tectorial membrane, supporting cells, and fluid dynamics of endolymph.
8. Vestibular Apparatus Anatomy — Anatomy of utricle, saccule, ampullary crests, maculae, semicircular ducts, and sensory receptors responsible for balance and spatial equilibrium.
9. Neural Pathway and Auditory Cortex — Course of the eighth cranial nerve, cochlear nuclei, superior olivary complex, lateral lemniscus, inferior colliculus, and primary auditory cortex.
10. Blood Supply and Innervation — Vascularization via labyrinthine and carotid branches, venous drainage, and cranial nerves V, VII, IX, and X supplying the ear.

1. Fundamentals of Acoustics and Sound — Physics of sound, wave propagation, simple harmonic motion, wavelength, amplitude, frequency, phase, and characteristics of pure tones and complex sounds.
2. Decibels and Sound Measurement — Concept of decibel scales including dB SPL, dB HL, and dB SL, reference levels, sound level meters, and environmental noise concepts.
3. Physiology of the Hearing Mechanism — Sound conduction mechanisms through the outer and middle ear, impedance matching, cochlear travelling waves, and mechanical-to-electrical signal transduction.
4. Psychoacoustics and Perception — Threshold of audibility, equal loudness contours, pitch perception, frequency selectivity, temporal integration, sound localization, and masking fundamentals.
5. Classification of Hearing Impairment — Types of hearing loss including conductive, sensorineural, and mixed losses, along with severity grading and unilateral versus bilateral manifestations.
6. Etiology of Hearing Disorders — Congenital causes, genetic conditions, infectious diseases, ototoxicity, presbycusis, noise-induced hearing loss, and occupational acoustic trauma factors.
7. Principles of Audiometric Instrumentation — Block diagram and components of audiometers, transducers, headphones, insert earphones, bone vibrators, and calibration standards for testing environments.
8. Calibration of Audiological Equipment — Biological calibration, electroacoustic calibration standards, routine maintenance protocols, and permissible ambient noise limits according to national standards.
9. Introduction to Aural Rehabilitation — Overview of hearing aids, cochlear implants, assistive listening devices, communicative strategies, and speech reading concepts for hearing-impaired individuals.

1. Clinical History Taking and Otoscopy — Patient interview techniques, recording auditory complaints, inspection of pinna, otoscopic examination of ear canal, and identification of tympanic membrane landmarks.
2. Tuning Fork Tests — Principles, procedure, and clinical interpretation of Rinne, Weber, Schwabach, Bing, and Gelle tests for distinguishing conductive and sensorineural hearing losses.
3. Pure Tone Air Conduction Audiometry — Patient preparation, transducer placement, Hughson-Westlake threshold search procedure, charting audiograms, and standard pure tone symbols.
4. Pure Tone Bone Conduction Audiometry — Placement of bone vibrators, forehead versus mastoid placement, vibrotactile responses, and determining the true sensorineural reserve accurately.
5. Clinical Masking Principles and Techniques — Concept of cross hearing, interaural attenuation values, plateau method, effective masking levels, and masking dilemma troubleshooting in audiological practice.
6. Speech Audiometry Procedures — Speech awareness threshold, speech reception threshold, word recognition scores, dynamic range measurement, and selection of appropriate speech test materials.
7. Immittance Audiometry and Tympanometry — Principles of acoustic immittance, Jerger classification of tympanograms, compliance, equivalent ear canal volume, and tympanic peak pressure measurements.
8. Acoustic Reflex Testing — Ipsilateral and contralateral acoustic reflex pathways, reflex thresholds, reflex decay test, and differential diagnosis of retrocochlear and facial nerve lesions.
9. Screening Audiometry in Special Populations — School hearing screening, newborn hearing screening protocols, occupational screening audiometry, and rapid testing methodologies for community outreach programs.
10. Special Tests for Cochlear Pathologies — Short increment sensitivity index, tone decay test, alternating binaural loudness balance test, and identifying recruitment versus abnormal auditory adaptation.

1. Basics of Medical Word Construction — Understanding word roots, combining forms, prefixes, and suffixes, with rules for combining vowels and decoding unfamiliar clinical expressions.
2. Anatomical and Directional Terminology — Standard anatomical positions, body planes, directional references, quadrants, cavities, and relative spatial terms used across clinical documentation and reports.
3. Otological and Audiological Suffixes and Prefixes — Specific word elements related to hearing, ear structures, audio, oto, myringo, tympano, -acusis, -rrhea, and related specialized combining forms.
4. Pathological Terms in ENT Practice — Terminology for common ear diseases including otitis media, otitis externa, cholesteatoma, presbycusis, otosclerosis, tinnitus, and vertigo disorders.
5. Diagnostic and Assessment Terminology — Medical terms used in clinical evaluations, audiograms, decibels, thresholds, impedance, tympanometry, recruitment, diplacusis, and auditory evoked responses.
6. Surgical and Pharmacological Terms — Terminology for common ear surgeries including myringotomy, tympanoplasty, mastoidectomy, stapedectomy, and general ototoxic medication categories.
7. General Clinical Abbreviations and Acronyms — Common medical abbreviations, symbols, prescription terminology, hospital department codes, and standard documentation notations used in clinical healthcare facilities.
8. Record Keeping and Medical Documentation — Terminology associated with patient charts, confidential electronic health records, diagnostic reporting formats, consent forms, and legal health documentation.

1. Fundamentals of Sound and Vibration — Definition of sound, production of vibrations, transmission media, wave propagation, simple harmonic motion, wave velocity, and basic physical characteristics of acoustic energy.
2. Frequency, Wavelength, and Periodic Motion — Understanding frequency, cycles per second, pitch perception, wavelength calculation, phase relationships, amplitude, and time period in continuous acoustic wave signals.
3. Sound Pressure and Intensity Levels — Concepts of sound intensity, acoustic pressure, reference levels, logarithmic units, inverse square law, and mathematical calculations involving sound energy distribution.
4. The Decibel Concept and Scales — Principles of decibel scale, sound pressure level, sound power level, hearing level, sensation level, and conversions among different acoustic units.
5. Complex Waves, Harmonics, and Resonance — Fourier analysis, fundamental frequency, harmonics, overtones, resonance frequency, standing waves, acoustic filters, and transmission characteristics through various physical mediums.
6. Sound Wave Interactions in Environments — Acoustic phenomena including reflection, absorption, refraction, diffraction around obstacles, shadow effects, and reverberation time in enclosed testing spaces.
7. Room Acoustics and Soundproofing Principles — Acoustic treatment of audiometric rooms, ambient noise limits, sound transmission loss, absorption coefficients, noise isolation, and standard design specifications.
8. Calibration and Acoustic Measurement Tools — Sound level meters, artificial ears, couplers, octave band analyzers, acoustic calibration standards, and regular monitoring protocols for clinical audiometric equipment.

1. Principles of Professional Healthcare Ethics — Fundamental biomedical ethics, beneficence, non-maleficence, autonomy, professional integrity, accountability, and the specific scope of practice for audiometry technicians.
2. Patient Rights, Privacy, and Confidentiality — Maintaining patient confidentiality, legal protection of audiometric records, informed consent procedures, patient dignity, and ethical management of sensitive personal information.
3. Communication Strategies in Clinical Settings — Effective verbal and non-verbal communication, managing hearing-impaired patients, communicating with pediatric cases, elderly patients, and addressing language or literacy barriers.
4. Infection Control and Clinical Hygiene — Hand hygiene, sterilization of otoscopic specula, earphone disinfection, safe disposal of clinical waste, barrier protection, and preventing cross-contamination in clinics.
5. Patient Preparation and Case History Recording — Gathering demographic details, recording chief audiological complaints, medical history documentation, explaining testing procedures reassuringly, and easing patient anxiety before evaluations.
6. Care for Patients with Special Needs — Modifying approaches for geriatric patients, pediatric patients, non-cooperative subjects, individuals with cognitive impairments, and physically challenged patients during testing.
7. Medico-Legal Aspects and Record Keeping — Documentation standards, maintaining accurate audiometric reports, legal liability, managing adverse clinical incidents, and compliance with national healthcare regulatory guidelines.
8. Basic Life Support and Patient Safety — Managing syncope, fall prevention strategies, recognizing clinical emergencies in testing booths, basic first aid, and fire safety protocols in healthcare facilities.

Detailed Syllabus — 2nd Year

1. Components and Functions of Pure Tone Audiometer — Hardware components, oscillator, attenuator, frequency selector, transducers, supra-aural headphones, insert earphones, bone vibrator, and basic operational controls.
2. Calibration Checks and Troubleshooting Protocols — Performing daily listening checks, inspecting transducers and cords, identifying distortion, verifying output accuracy, and documenting daily equipment maintenance logs.
3. Otoscopic Examination and Ear Preparation — Performing otoscopic inspection, identifying ear canal collapse, cerumen impaction, tympanic membrane landmarks, and determining suitability for headphone or insert earphone placement.
4. Air Conduction Testing and Threshold Search — Modified Hughson-Westlake procedure, test frequency order, transducer placement, patient response conditioning, threshold criteria, and plotting air conduction symbols correctly.
5. Bone Conduction Threshold Measurement Techniques — Placement of bone vibrator on mastoid or forehead, occlusion effect principles, testing octave frequencies, response recording, and determining true sensory reserves.
6. Clinical Masking Fundamentals and Cross Hearing — Understanding interaural attenuation, cross hearing mechanisms, shadow curves, indications for air and bone conduction masking, and types of masking noise.
7. Masking Procedures and Plateau Method — Plateau method application, effective masking levels, undermasking, overmasking, masking dilemma recognition, and methodical recording of masked audiometric thresholds.
8. Audiogram Interpretation and Hearing Loss Classification — Calculating pure tone averages, determining degree, configuration, and type of hearing impairment including conductive, sensorineural, and mixed losses accurately.
9. Extended High Frequency and Specialized Testing — Extended high-frequency evaluation protocols, testing for ototoxicity monitoring, acoustic trauma assessment, tinnitus matching basics, and false response identification.

1. Introduction to Speech Audiometry Principles — Clinical significance of speech testing, relationship with pure tone results, speech stimuli characteristics, monitored live voice versus recorded test presentation methods.
2. Speech Detection and Speech Reception Thresholds — Determination of speech detection threshold, speech reception threshold using spondaic words, scoring techniques, patient instruction, and correlation with pure tone averages.
3. Word Recognition Testing and Scoring Procedures — Phonetically balanced word lists, presentation levels, percentage scoring, performance-intensity functions, rollover phenomenon, and differentiating cochlear from retrocochlear hearing lesions.
4. Equipment Calibration and Presentation Modes — Calibration of speech signals, VU meter adjustments, speech noise characteristics, sound field presentation, and transducer selection for reliable test administration.
5. Masking Procedures for Speech Audiometric Tests — Interaural attenuation values for speech, indications for speech masking, delivering speech noise to non-test ear, and effective masking calculation methods.
6. Pediatric Speech Audiometry Adaptations — Picture identification tests, point-to-task methods, conditioned response speech testing, adapting materials for developmental age, and evaluating young non-cooperative children.
7. Multilingual Speech Test Materials and Applications — Utilizing Indian regional language speech lists, addressing bilingual and dialectal variations, culturally appropriate test materials, and assessing non-native language speakers.
8. Interpretation of Results for Audiological Rehabilitation — Interpreting speech audiometry findings, identifying auditory processing difficulties, assessing hearing aid candidacy, setting realistic amplification expectations, and multidisciplinary counseling.

1. Introduction to Audiometers and Instrumentation — Overview of diagnostic and screening audiometers, basic electronic components, controls, power supply, and standard operational protocols.
2. Transducers and Output Devices — Study of air conduction earphones, bone vibrators, insert earphones, high-frequency transducers, and sound field speakers.
3. Acoustic Rooms and Sound Treated Booths — Specifications for soundproof enclosures, ambient noise standards, acoustic treatment materials, construction standards, and room noise measurement.
4. Tympanometers and Acoustic Immittance Systems — Components of immittance bridges, probe systems, pressure pumps, acoustic reflex meters, and multi-frequency tympanometry hardware.
5. Otoacoustic Emission Analyzers — Working mechanisms of TEOAE and DPOAE instruments, probe assembly, microphone sensors, and software interfaces for newborn screening.
6. Auditory Evoked Potential Systems — Hardware architecture of ABR instruments, electrode types, montage channels, amplifiers, filters, and digital signal processors.
7. Calibration of Audiometric Instruments — Standard biological and electroacoustic calibration protocols, artificial ears, mastoids, sound level meters, and ANSI standards.
8. Equipment Maintenance, Troubleshooting, and Safety — Routine preventive maintenance, electrical safety measures, cord care, common mechanical faults, hygiene, and troubleshooting procedures.

1. Fundamentals of Hearing Aids — Historical development, basic principles of sound amplification, block diagram, and classification of personal hearing devices.
2. Hearing Aid Components and Transducers — Microphones, digital signal processors, amplifiers, receivers, volume controls, telecoils, and power sources in hearing instruments.
3. Types and Styles of Hearing Aids — Characteristics of body-worn, behind-the-ear, receiver-in-canal, completely-in-canal, and invisible-in-the-canal hearing aids.
4. Ear Mould Technology and Acoustics — Impression taking materials, ear mould styles, venting, tubing, acoustic modifications, and earmould fabrication processes.
5. Digital Signal Processing Features — Directional microphones, digital noise reduction, feedback cancellation algorithms, frequency lowering, and dynamic range compression.
6. Hearing Aid Selection and Programming — Pre-fitting evaluation, prescription formulas, software-based fitting, acoustic parameter adjustments, and patient-centered device selection criteria.
7. Verification and Validation Procedures — Real-ear measurement systems, speech mapping, functional gain assessment, aided audiograms, and standardized outcome questionnaires.
8. Assistive Listening and Implantable Devices — FM systems, induction loops, Bluetooth streaming accessories, bone-anchored hearing aids, and cochlear implant basics.
9. Troubleshooting, Care, and Maintenance — Cleaning techniques, moisture management, battery selection, troubleshooting feedback, dead aids, distortion, and patient counseling methods.

1. Case History and Otoscopic Examination — Clinical interviewing techniques, patient medical record documentation, identification of external ear pathology, and ear hygiene protocols.
2. Pure Tone Air Conduction Testing — Standard Hughson-Westlake procedure, threshold determination, instructions to patients, audiogram documentation, and degree of hearing loss.
3. Pure Tone Bone Conduction Testing — Placement of bone conductor, threshold measurement procedures, identification of air-bone gaps, and vibrotactile response recognition.
4. Clinical Masking Principles and Application — Cross-hearing fundamentals, interaural attenuation, shadow curves, plateau method, and masking dilemmas in pure-tone testing.
5. Speech Audiometry Procedures — Speech reception threshold, speech detection threshold, word recognition scores, material selection, masking, and speech-in-noise evaluation.
6. Specialized Diagnostic Tests — Tone decay test, SISI test, ABLB test, and high-frequency audiometry for differential diagnosis of sensory-neural disorders.
7. Immittance Audiometry and Reflexometry — Performing tympanometry, interpreting tympanogram types, acoustic reflex testing, reflex decay, and Eustachian tube function tests.
8. Pediatric and Special Population Audiometry — Visual reinforcement audiometry, conditioned play audiometry, behavioral observation audiometry, and testing patients with cognitive impairment.
9. Audiological Report Writing and Referral — Compilation of test batteries, drafting professional clinical reports, medico-legal documentation, and appropriate patient referral pathways.

1. Clinical Orientation and Ethics — Hospital protocols, code of conduct, patient rights, confidentiality, infection prevention, safety guidelines, and clinical workflow.
2. Patient Registration and Audiometric Intake — Greeting patients, completing history forms, managing appointment queues, entering demographic data, and coordinating clinical scheduling.
3. Supervised Pure Tone Audiometry — Conducting routine air and bone conduction tests on adult outpatients under direct supervision of senior audiologists.
4. Clinical Masking and Advanced Testing — Performing masked threshold testing, speech audiometry, and special diagnostic evaluations on complex clinical hospital cases.
5. Hands-on Immittance and Screening — Performing tympanometry, recording acoustic reflexes, and administering newborn hearing screening protocols using OAE devices.
6. Hearing Aid Clinical Assistance — Assisting in earmould impression taking, routine hearing aid servicing, patient orientation, battery replacements, and counseling.
7. Community Audiology and Field Camps — Participation in rural outreach screening camps, school screening programs, industrial noise surveys, and hearing conservation.
8. Maintenance of Case Logs and Documentation — Maintaining clinical logbooks, archiving test records, generating computerized audiograms, and preparing case study presentations.