IIT Kharagpur becomes first IIT to offer NMC-accredited postgraduate medical courses

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur has become the first IIT in the country to introduce National Medical Commission (NMC)-accredited postgraduate medical courses, offering six Doctor of Medicine (MD) specialisations from the 2026-27 academic session, officials said on Thursday.

The programmes will be offered at the institute's Dr B C Roy Multi-Speciality Medical Research Centre, with a total intake of 12 students, comprising two seats in each specialisation.

The six disciplines are General Medicine, Radiology, Physiology, Pathology, Community Medicine and Biochemistry.

According to an official statement, admissions will be conducted through the NEET-PG 2026 online counselling process, with the courses available during the second round of counselling.

The initiative marks an expansion of IIT Kharagpur's academic activities into postgraduate medical education, bringing clinical training and technological research together within a single institutional framework.

𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲

The institute said the programmes were designed to integrate conventional medical education with engineering, artificial intelligence, biomedical sciences and translational research.

The approach seeks to provide medical graduates with opportunities to engage in interdisciplinary research and develop technological solutions to healthcare challenges.

Students will be able to explore emerging areas such as AI-assisted clinical decision-making, advanced medical imaging, computational pathology and biomedical devices.

Other research opportunities will include molecular diagnostics, precision medicine and affordable healthcare technologies.

The institute said its existing expertise in artificial intelligence, computational sciences, microfluidics, bioengineering and healthcare diagnostics would support the development of a research-oriented medical education ecosystem.

𝐅𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

IIT Kharagpur Director Professor Suman Chakraborty said the initiative was intended to produce medical professionals capable of combining clinical expertise with technological innovation.

"The vision is not simply to train specialist doctors, but to create an ecosystem where clinical excellence meets engineering ingenuity, artificial intelligence and translational research," Chakraborty told PTI.

"We want our medical graduates to be not only outstanding clinicians, but also innovators capable of addressing some of humanity's most pressing healthcare challenges," he added.

The institute aims to encourage collaboration between medical professionals, engineers and researchers to address complex healthcare problems.

By combining medical training with research capabilities in emerging technologies, the programmes are expected to create opportunities for developing new diagnostic tools, treatment approaches and healthcare delivery systems.

𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐝

The institute said its technological infrastructure would provide medical students with opportunities to work across disciplines and participate in research projects involving engineering and biomedical sciences.

Artificial intelligence could support the development of clinical decision-making tools, while computational pathology and advanced imaging technologies offer scope for improving disease detection and diagnosis.

Research involving biomedical devices and microfluidics could also contribute to the development of diagnostic and treatment technologies.

The integration of these fields is intended to strengthen the connection between clinical practice and scientific research.

The institute said the initiative would particularly focus on developing affordable and accessible healthcare solutions for underserved populations.

𝐀𝐝𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐍𝐄𝐄𝐓-𝐏𝐆

Eligible candidates will be able to select the six MD programmes during the second round of NEET-PG 2026 counselling.

The institute has advised applicants to consult the Medical Counselling Committee's official portal for updated information on the seat matrix, eligibility requirements and admission schedule.

With two seats available in each discipline, the inaugural batch will comprise 12 postgraduate medical students.

IIT Kharagpur said the introduction of NMC-accredited MD courses marked a new chapter in India's postgraduate medical education by combining specialist clinical training with the research capabilities of an IIT.

The initiative is expected to strengthen collaboration between medical sciences and emerging technologies while supporting innovation in affordable healthcare.