IMA slams govt plan to merge MBBS and BAMS at JIPMER

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has strongly opposed the union government’s plan to introduce an integrated course combining modern medicine (MBBS) and Ayurveda (BAMS) at Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry.

The IMA called the proposed program “unscientific” and warned it would harm both patients and the medical profession.

“It is unfortunate that the Union government seems to have decided to go ahead with its plans to unscientifically mix systems of medicine. Reports indicate that the first integrative course mixing MBBS and BAMS would be started in the premier institution of JIPMER, Pondicherry,” the IMA said in a statement issued on May 30.

Currently, MBBS and BAMS are distinct medical degrees offered in India.

The MBBS is a five-and-a-half-year undergraduate course in modern medicine, including a year of mandatory internship.

The BAMS, rooted in Ayurveda, also spans five and a half years with a similar internship requirement.

The IMA, which has previously raised objections to the idea of combining “incompatible systems,” reiterated its concerns.

“Let all systems retain their pristine purity. Refrain from producing hybrid doctors who will be only qualified quacks,” the statement read.

It also warned that “mixopathy takes away the right of the patient to choose care of his/her choice.”

The association argued that India’s strong medical infrastructure and global reputation for producing skilled doctors make such a move unnecessary.

“Indian doctors are the backbone of medical services in several Western countries. IMA fails to see any compelling reason or logic in the ill-advised government move,” it said.

The IMA also questioned the long-term impact on both systems, claiming the move could prove disastrous for Ayurveda as well.

“Having failed to convince the government, IMA has no option but to take the people into confidence. IMA appeals to the nation to resist this indiscretion for the health of future generations,” the association said.

Highlighting India’s progress in public health since independence, the IMA noted that life expectancy has risen from 32 years in 1947 to 70.8 years in 2025.

It credited this to the eradication of diseases through vaccination and access to modern healthcare, especially in maternal and child health.

The IMA also cited the failure of a similar integration attempt in China. “China failed in its experiment of mixing modern medicine and Chinese traditional medicine; this also resulted in the decimation of their traditional medicine,” it said.

India currently has 779 medical colleges and produces 136,325 MBBS graduates annually. The IMA stressed that this robust system should not be undermined by an “ill-conceived” integration.