IIT Madras plans to launch its own medical school

Indian Institute of Technology Madras plans to open a school of medical sciences to grant its own medical degrees. Director Professor V. Kamakoti shared this bold vision, stating the new school will offer undergraduate MBBS, postgraduate MD, and doctoral PhD programs. For nearly 70 years, this campus has been famous for training top engineers who design systems and write code. Producing practicing doctors will mark a major expansion for the prestigious institute.

Combining Technology with Medical Science

Leaders at the institute are not starting from scratch in the health sector. They launched a specialized Department of Medical Sciences and Technology in May 2023. This department currently offers a four-year undergraduate degree designed to train hybrid graduates. These students study both engineering and biology to build complex scanners, medical implants, and healthcare software. However, a dedicated medical school will go much further by actively training practicing doctors.

India currently imports a large portion of its high-end medical equipment, making domestic healthcare technology development an urgent national priority. Professor Kamakoti explained that modern technology institutions must establish medical schools to help the country thrive. He pointed out that modern medicine relies heavily on advanced technology. The global pandemic highlighted the extreme risks of depending on foreign countries for vital medical equipment. Training doctors and engineers together on the same campus will empower India to design its own life-saving machines.

Regulatory Hurdles

Launching a medical college requires clearing strict regulatory requirements. The National Medical Commission governs medical education in India and controls who can grant an MBBS degree. To secure this approval, the institute must first build a functioning teaching hospital where students can learn by treating real patients. IIT Kharagpur successfully navigated this exact process by constructing a hospital to win approval for its postgraduate MD course. IIT Madras already houses several advanced healthcare technology centers and actively partners with leading city hospitals. Engineers and clinicians frequently collaborate across this campus today. Upgrading these strong foundation resources into a fully functional medical school stands as the next logical step for the renowned engineering institute.