IIT Kharagpur to Introduce MBBS Degree Course from 2019

Reputed engineering institute of our country, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur (IIT-Kgp) is all set to Introduce Bachelor of Medicine Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) course from the academic year beginning in the year 2019. It will become the first ‘technology’ oriented institute to launch medicine courses for the students. Not more than 50 students will be enrolled in the MBBS course for the first session.

For this purpose, a hospital with a capacity of about 400 beds is being set up on the campus of the institute. This will act as a teaching facility, and will also begin the process of admitting patients from mid-2018. IIT-Kgp will apply for approval from the Medical Council of India (MCI) once the hospital starts to function.

Also Read: NIRF Rankings 2017: Top 25 Pharmacy Colleges in India

The hospital will be a super-specialty one with departments such as cardiology, orthopedic, neurology, outpatient, as well as an emergency ward and medical diagnostic centre. It will be registered as a society under the West Bengal Registration Act with the Board of Governors (BoG) at the helm.

IIT-Kgp is also planning to sign Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the reputed hospitals to take over the operations for the new hospital wing. Several doctors are also being approached for the same.

Also Read: Supreme Court: Candidates above 25 Years can Appear for NEET 2017, Application Deadline Extended

As far as the admission process for MBBS degree course is concerned, the institute is yet to formulate guidelines for the same. There is a possibility that the institute will conduct an NEET-like entrance examination on its own, as the law for IITs enables them to do so - as admission to engineering courses takes place through the JEE Advanced, also known as IIT-JEE. Secondly, the associated doctors of the institute will be able to conduct and carry out medico-technical research. Thirdly, with the permission of the patient, the institute might also introduce videography during the treatment processes, which will gather information in a form that could be transmitted to other doctors around the globe.

The Human Resource Development Ministry (MHRD) has granted permission to IIT Kharagpur to start working on the curriculum of the same.