IIT Madras, known for producing some of India’s top engineers, is now planning to enter the medical education sector. The institute’s Director Professor V. Kamakoti has announced plans to start a school of medical sciences that will offer medical degrees, including MBBS, MD and PhD programmes.
Speaking about the future plans of the institute, Professor Kamakoti said IIT Madras wants to create a space where technology and medicine come together. “IIT Madras will certainly launch a school of medical sciences. We want to give medical degrees,” he said.
The proposed medical school will expand the institute’s existing work in healthcare and medical technology. In 2023, IIT Madras started its Department of Medical Sciences and Technology, which focuses on combining engineering with healthcare. The department trains students to work on areas such as medical devices, healthcare technology and innovations.
With the new plan, IIT Madras aims to go beyond medical research and train doctors who can contribute to both patient care and healthcare innovation. Professor Kamakoti said the need for such an initiative became clearer after the Covid-19 pandemic, which highlighted the importance of developing healthcare technology within India. According to him, a country’s medical future depends on combining scientific research, technology and healthcare expertise.
“Any technology institution must start a medical school. Otherwise, as a country, we cannot survive the medical market,” he said.
However, IIT Madras will need to complete several regulatory requirements before it can begin offering medical degrees. Medical education in India is regulated by the National Medical Commission (NMC), and approval from the body will be required to start MBBS and MD programmes.
The institute will also need a teaching hospital where students can gain practical experience and learn patient care. Medical colleges in India are required to have proper infrastructure, faculty and healthcare facilities before receiving approval.
IIT Madras already has an advantage with its growing presence in healthcare research. The institute has facilities working on medical technology and has collaborations with hospitals to develop new healthcare solutions.
IIT Kharagpur has also explored medical education by developing healthcare infrastructure and moving towards offering medical programmes. IIT Madras is expected to follow a similar path as it works towards building its own medical education ecosystem. The move reflects the changing role of technology institutes in India, where engineering, medicine and research are increasingly coming together. If approved, IIT Madras will become one of the few engineering institutes in the country to produce not just engineers and researchers but also doctors.
The proposed school of medical sciences could create a new generation of healthcare professionals who understand both medicine and technology, helping India develop innovative solutions for future healthcare challenges.
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