IIT Madras to produce doctors? Here's what Director V Kamakoti said on institution's push for medical degrees

IIT Madras, a prestigious engineering institution, is contemplating the establishment of its own medical school and awarding medical degrees, India Today reported after quoting Director Professor V Kamakoti's statement. The medical degrees under consideration would span from undergraduate MBBS to postgraduate MD and even doctoral PhD.

In an interview with the news outlet, Prof. Kamakoti confirmed, "IIT Madras will definitely launch a school of medical sciences." He further explained, "We want to give medical degrees, and I believe this will significantly enhance the institute's profile."

The idea of offering medical degrees is not new; it traces back to May 2023 when the Department of Medical Sciences and Technology was established. This department offers a four-year undergraduate program that trains students as hybrid graduates – part engineer, part biologist, known as medical technologists and physician-scientists.

These individuals are equipped to design medical equipment like scanners, implants, and software, all essential for medical treatment. Prof. Kamakoti emphasized that all technology institutions should establish a medical school to thrive in the medical market. He argued that modern medicine heavily relies on technology and stressed the need for domestically produced equipment due to the risks of foreign dependency, highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, implementing this plan poses significant challenges. Medical education in India is regulated by the National Medical Commission (NMC), which determines the eligibility of institutions to run medical colleges and award medical degrees, including the MBBS, the standard qualification for doctors. Institutions seeking to offer medical degrees must secure NMC approval and establish a teaching hospital to provide students with practical experience.

IIT Kharagpur serves as a precedent for this integration, having received approval to launch a postgraduate MD course, while its undergraduate MBBS program is still pending due to infrastructure limitations. IIT Madras currently partners with prominent city hospitals, allowing its engineering students to collaborate with clinicians, but the path forward involves securing the hospital first and obtaining the NMC's nod later.

Prof. Kamakoti, a computer scientist born in Chennai in 1968 with an MS and PhD in Computer Science and Engineering from IIT Madras, is part of a six-member task force established by the Centre to reform the education system and address examination failures. Known for his advocacy regarding the alleged medicinal properties of cow urine, Prof. Kamakoti stated during a gathering in Chennai in January 2025 that cow urine possesses antifungal, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties.