IIT Kharagpur becomes first IIT to introduce postgraduate medical courses

Detailed summary

IIT Kharagpur has expanded beyond engineering by launching six postgraduate medical programmes for the 2026–27 academic session. The institute will offer 12 MD seats through NEET-PG 2026 counselling, becoming the first IIT in India to introduce postgraduate medical education.

In a major development for India's higher education and healthcare sectors, IIT Kharagpur has become the first Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) to introduce postgraduate medical degree programmes accredited by the National Medical Commission (NMC).

Starting with the 2026–27 academic session, the institute will admit its first batch of MD students at the Dr B C Roy Multi-Speciality Medical Research Centre. The move marks a significant expansion of the IIT system into postgraduate medical education, bringing together medicine, engineering, artificial intelligence (AI), biomedical sciences and translational research.

The initiative aims to create an interdisciplinary learning environment that goes beyond conventional clinical training, enabling students to explore how technology and scientific research can address emerging healthcare challenges.

The institute will offer postgraduate medical programmes across six specialisations, with two seats in each discipline, taking the total intake to 12 students for the inaugural academic session.

Admissions for the 2026–27 academic session will be conducted through the NEET-PG 2026 online counselling process. Candidates will be able to consider these programmes during Round 2, subject to the official counselling schedule, eligibility criteria and availability of seats.

The introduction of these programmes comes at a time when technology is increasingly transforming healthcare. Artificial intelligence is changing diagnostic practices, advanced imaging is improving disease detection, and biomedical engineering is opening new possibilities in treatment and patient care.

The institute aims to bring these developments closer to medical education by creating opportunities for students to engage with the institute's existing research and technological capabilities.

Through the Dr B C Roy Multi-Speciality Medical Research Centre, students will have opportunities for interdisciplinary exposure to areas such as AI-assisted clinical…

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