IIT Kharagpur Becomes First IIT to Offer PG Medical Courses, Introduces 12 MD Seats Across Six Specialisations

India's premier engineering institutions are increasingly looking beyond traditional technology education. Taking a significant step in this direction, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur has become the first IIT in the country to introduce postgraduate medical degree programmes recognised by the National Medical Commission (NMC).

The institute will introduce six Doctor of Medicine (MD) specialisations, offering a total of 12 seats for the 2026–27 academic session. The programmes will be conducted at the Dr. B. C. Roy Multi-Speciality Medical Research Centre, IIT Kharagpur.

The announcement, made by the Ministry of Education on November 12, 2026, marks a new development in India's higher education system, bringing clinical medical education into an IIT's academic framework.

Six MD Specialisations, 12 Seats

According to the Ministry of Education, IIT Kharagpur will offer two seats in each of the six specialisations.

The programmes include:

• MD General Medicine – 2 seats
• MD Radiology – 2 seats
• MD Physiology – 2 seats
• MD Pathology – 2 seats
• MD Community Medicine – 2 seats
• MD Biochemistry – 2 seats

The total intake for the first academic session will be 12 students. These specialisations cover different areas of medical practice, from diagnosing and treating diseases to laboratory research, medical imaging and public health.

IIT Kharagpur MD Admission 2026: How to Apply?

Admissions to the newly introduced programmes will take place through the NEET-PG 2026 online counselling process. Eligible candidates can consider these courses during the second round of counselling conducted through the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC).

Candidates must follow the official counselling schedule and check the seat matrix, eligibility requirements and choice-filling instructions before selecting a programme. The institute has advised interested medical graduates to consider the courses during Round 2 of NEET-PG 2026 counselling.

Beyond introducing postgraduate medical courses, IIT Kharagpur aims to establish a connection between clinical education and technological research.

The institute plans to use its existing expertise in artificial intelligence, biomedical engineering, computational sciences and healthcare diagnostics to support research-driven medical education.

Students will have opportunities to explore research areas such as AI-assisted clinical decision-making, advanced medical imaging, computational pathology, biomedical devices, molecular diagnostics and precision medicine.

For instance, artificial intelligence can help doctors analyse medical images and identify patterns that may require further investigation. Similarly, advances in biomedical engineering can contribute to the development of diagnostic equipment and affordable healthcare technologies.

By bringing doctors, engineers and researchers into the same academic environment, the institute aims to encourage solutions to healthcare challenges through collaboration.

What Did IIT Kharagpur Director Say?

IIT Kharagpur Director Professor Suman Chakraborty described the initiative as an important step towards changing the direction of medical education.

He said the institute's objective goes beyond training specialist doctors. It wants to create an academic environment where medical knowledge can work alongside engineering, artificial intelligence and research.

The director also emphasised the importance of developing doctors who can contribute to scientific discoveries and healthcare innovation, rather than limiting their role to clinical practice. The initiative is also aligned with the broader vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, which includes improving access to affordable, accessible and technology-enabled healthcare.

Although this is the institute's first entry into NMC-accredited postgraduate clinical medical education, its association with healthcare research is not new.

IIT Kharagpur established its School of Medical Science and Technology (SMST) in 2001. Since then, it has developed academic and research programmes connecting medicine with engineering and technology.

One of its existing programmes is the Master of Medical Science and Technology (MMST), a postgraduate course designed for MBBS graduates.

Its research activities have also covered areas such as medical imaging, biomedical engineering, healthcare diagnostics and medical technologies.

However, the introduction of the six MD programmes represents a different development. Unlike technology-focused medical courses, these are recognised postgraduate medical degrees that will admit students through the NEET-PG counselling system.

A New Direction for Medical Education in India

IIT Kharagpur's entry into postgraduate medical education could open new possibilities for collaboration between medical professionals and technology researchers. The development also highlights how institutions traditionally associated with engineering and scientific research are exploring a wider role in addressing healthcare needs.

However, the initial intake remains limited to 12 seats, making the first batch relatively small. The long-term impact of the initiative will depend on the quality of clinical training, research opportunities and the institute's ability to translate technological developments into practical healthcare solutions.

For now, the 2026–27 academic session will mark the beginning of a new chapter for IIT Kharagpur and postgraduate medical education in India's IIT system.