IIT Kharagpur likely to introduce MBBS from 2021: Reports

NEW DELHI, October 22: Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, is likely to launch an MBBS programme under the existing School of Medical Science and Technology (SMST) from 2021. The course is expected to be rolled out after the super-speciality hospital, Dr B.C. Roy Institute of Medical Sciences and Research becomes functional by the end of the year.

Sriman Kumar Bhattacharya, Director, IIT- Kharagpur told The Times of India: “ We plan to start the OPD services this year. By early next year, we plan to start the indoor facilities in the first phase with 400 beds. Once the hospital is operational, we plan to roll out the MBBS curriculum as per MCI guidelines.” A budget of Rs 150 crores has been sanctioned by the Ministry of Human Resource and Development (MHRD) for it.

IIT-Kharagpur’s Medical Endeavour
Media reports suggest that the MBBS course will commence with 50 seats and then eventually the intake capacity will be increased to 100 seats. The course will be affiliated to the super-speciality hospital. Bhattacharya added: “The plan in the second phase is to scale it up to 750 beds and increase the intake capacity to 100 MBBS students. IIT-Kharagpur will be responsible for the management of academic affairs and awarding the MBBS degree. The IITs, by rule, are not allowed to offer MBBS course, thus the hospital will be managed by a ‘special purpose vehicle’ established under section 8 of Companies Act, 2013. However, the hospital will also have a board of directors which will include senior IIT faculty and it will be headed by the director of IIT-Kharagpur.

Not limited to just offering the MBBS course, the objective of the administration is to work upon the expansion by creating a nursing college and a separate school to train paramedical and technical experts. “We have been in consultation with AIIMS [All India Institute of Medical Sciences], Delhi and several other medical colleges in India and abroad. An MoU has been signed with AIIMS, Delhi,” said Satadal Saha, Project Director, Dr B.C. Roy Super Speciality Hospital. Indian Today reported that the institute has also collaborated with Tata Medical Center, Kolkata, South Eastern Railway Hospital and Common Research & Technology Development Hub, Hyderabad. Defying the IIT tradition of setting up the postgraduate department first, IIT-Kharagpur has decided to initiate medical education with MBBS, he explained.

Reaching the community
In anticipation of huge demand, the institute also aims at bringing in mobile hospitals units to serve the community situated in its vicinity. Saha said, “Basic diagnostic and treatment will be done by these mobile units.”

Since the inception of SMST in 2001, IIT Kharagpur has been exploring the idea of preparing researchers to combine the discipline of medicine with engineering to contribute to the health care sector. Currently, SMST offers postgraduate courses and a PhD programme in Medical Science and Technology.