Who said IITs are only for engineers? IIT Kharagpur is now stepping into medical education. In a first-of-its-kind move, IIT Kharagpur has become the first IIT in the country to introduce PG medical courses. The institute has received approval from the National Medical Commission.
Starting from the 2026-27 academic session, the institute will offer MD programmes in six medical specialisations at Dr B C Roy Multi-Speciality Medical Research Centre. Interestingly, IIT Kharagpur was also India’s first IIT. And now it is set to welcome the first batch of postgraduate medical students in the history of the IIT system. The institute has achieved another milestone by entering postgraduate medical education.
MD Courses in Six Specialisations
For the first batch, IIT Kharagpur will introduce an MD program in General Medicine, Radiology, Physiology, Pathology, Community Medicine, and Biochemistry. Each specialisation will have 2 seats, bringing the total intake to 12 seats. Here is the seat distribution for the academic year 2026-27:
| MD Courses | Number of Seats |
|---|---|
| General Medicine | 2 |
| Radiology | 2 |
| Physiology | 2 |
| Pathology | 2 |
| Community Medicine | 2 |
| Biochemistry | 2 |
| Total | 12 |
These 12 students will become the first batch of postgraduate medical students in the history of the IIT system.
AI and Engineering into Medical Education
The institute is not just planning to train medical specialists. It also wants to bring medical education, engineering, artificial intelligence, and research under one roof.
IIT Kharagpur Director Suman Chakraborty said the institute wants to bring doctors, engineers and researchers together. The aim is to find solutions to healthcare challenges.
He further explained that the goal is to prepare doctors who are not only skilled as medical specialists but can also contribute to innovation in healthcare. The institute believes that combining clinical knowledge with technology and research can help the nation address some of the major challenges in the sector.
Mr Suman Chakraborty also described the students joining the 2026-27 batch as the pioneers of this new initiative.
How to Get Admission to IIT Kharagpur MD Courses?
Students who are interested in pursuing their MD program will have to apply through the NEET PG online counselling process. According to the announcement by the institution, the course will be available for consideration during Round 2 of counselling.
Further, for the academic session 2026-27, admissions will be purely based on the official counselling schedule, eligibility criteria, and seat availability. The candidates are advised to check the official Medical Counselling Committee website for further information regarding the counselling process and admission requirements.
A New Chapter for India’s First IIT
IIT Kharagpur has been known for its contribution to engineering, technology, and scientific research. Now, with the new postgraduate medical courses, the institute is expanding its academic offerings into medical education. Although the first batch will have only 12 students, it is an important development for the institution.
The first batch of MD students will join IIT Kharagpur in 2026–27, marking the beginning of its efforts to combine medical education with engineering and AI.
