JIPMER is ‘evaluating’ proposal for MBBS-BAMS dual degree, reveals RTI reply

Days after the Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER) Puducherry denied starting an integrated MBBS-BAMS programme, a first-of-its-kind in medical education, looks like the institute may not have dropped the plan altogether, reveals a Right-to-Information (RTI) reply.

In fresh developments in the controversial subject, it has been learnt that the Institute of National Importance has already constituted an internal committee to evaluate the centre’s proposal and has submitted the course curriculum.

The PG medical institute, in a “fair reply” to the health ministry, stated that it will not only consult the experts of modern medicine and Ayurveda but also take into consideration the opinions of students, teachers, National Medical Commission (NMC), and the National Board of Examination (NBE) among others to explore the modalities of its implementation.

The highest police-making body, Institute Body (IB) at JIPMER will take the final decision and its recommendation will be sent for approval to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare as the move would have a greater impact on medical education and healthcare in the country, as per the institute’s plans shown in the reply to the fresh RTI filed by ophthalmologist Babu K V.

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“In this regard, it is to submit that this proposal, though visionary, is unprecedented in the history of Medical Education in the country. Therefore, due diligence has to be exercised and opinion of all major stakeholders like Medical Teachers, Students, Parents, National Medical Commission & National Board of Examination, etc. has to be taken into account. Further, conscious decision has to be taken at the level of the highest policy making body of the Institute i.e., the Institute Body (IB),” the deputy director at JIPMER told the health ministry.

JIPMER refutes dual degree claims

Recently, JIPMER refuted media reports claiming that a dual degree programme integrating Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) and Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) will be introduced, clarifying that there is no such plan “as of now”.

The announcement came after a strong opposition from the medical community with the Indian Medical Association (IMA) calling it “mixopathy”. Opposing the proposal, the doctors’ group argued that each medicine system is different and the move would create a pool of “hybrid doctors” without proper qualifications. IMA also alleged that the NMC was not looped-in for discussions on the matter initially and asserted that the commission will definitely stand against the institution offering an integral medical education.

The course proposal

The health ministry has been seeking comments from the INI ever since the announcement about the first-ever course was made by the Union Minister of State (MoS) for health and family welfare and AYUSH, Prataprao Jadhav.

It was the Auroville Foundation, an experimental township, that brought up the idea of setting up an institution to bring together the two worlds of medicine in partnership with the Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda (ITRA), revealed the previous RTIs filed by the Keralite doctor.