New Delhi: The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) is planning to set up a medical college on its campus. Expected to become functional in the next three years, it will offer programmes in PhD, MD- PhD, MD, MS, DM, MCh and MBBS. The step is in line with fulfilling one of the mandates proposed in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
“The presence of a medical school will provide a much needed integrated clinical research with the existing expertise. In this regard, JNU Act 1966 has the provision that the university can give degrees such as MS, MD, MBBS, etc,” M Jagadesh Kumar, Vice-Chancellor, JNU, was quoted as saying by Education Times.
The degree programmes at the JNU medical college will be taught with an emphasis on modern medicine integrated with traditional medicine and knowledge systems from humanities and social sciences.
“The medical college at the campus will facilitate the clinical research for the prevention, diagnosis, and therapeutics along with providing the medical education. It will develop a competency-based dynamic curriculum at undergraduate, postgraduate and super-speciality levels. Also, the focus will be to develop knowledge, skill, attitude, values and ethics among the students. Students will be encouraged to take PhD programme for medical research in various disciplines,” he said, additng that it will try to bring international students and promote students and faculty exchange in its ambit.
Course structure
The number of seats in each programme of the medical school will be as per the guidelines of the National Medical Commission (NMC). According to the proposal, the college will have the Broad Speciality and Supporting Departments in Medicine, Surgery, Gynaecology, Pediatrics, Pathology, Microbiology, Biochemistry, Radiology, Anesthesiology, Ophthalmology, Radiation Oncology, Otorhinolaryngology, Orthopedic, Emergency medicine, Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Lab Medicine, Sports Medicine and Blood Bank.
Super Speciality departments will be set for Infectious Diseases, Medical Oncology, Surgical Oncology, Organ transplant, Gastroenterology, Surgical Gastroenterology, Cardiology, Hepatology, Nephrology, Hematology, Rheumatology, Endocrinology, Neurology, Pulmonology, Neurosurgery, Cardiac Surgery; and non-conventional departments such as International Medicine, Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Translational Research, Experimental Medicine, Nano and Regenerative Medicine.
The setting up of medical school and an attached hospital may require a sufficient amount of time. After all the clearances and funding support, it may take a minimum of three years to make it operational, highlights Kumar. The current budget estimate for the 500-bed hospital and medical school is Rs 900 crore.