The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has strongly opposed the Union government’s proposal to launch a new course that integrates MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery) with BAMS (Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery) at the Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry.
Calling the decision “unfortunate” and “unscientific,” the IMA issued a statement on May 30 condemning the initiative. According to a report in The Hindu, the association argued that combining different medical systems would be ineffective and potentially harmful to both patients and medical professionals.
“It is regrettable that the Union government appears determined to proceed with the unscientific integration of medical systems,” the IMA stated. “Reports suggest that JIPMER, a premier medical institute, may soon introduce the first integrated MBBS-BAMS course.”
The government had previously announced intentions to create a single academic curriculum that merges modern medicine with Ayurveda. However, the IMA insists that each medical system should be preserved in its original form. “We should not create hybrid doctors who may lack comprehensive expertise in either discipline. Such practitioners would not be truly qualified and may pose risks to public health,” the IMA said.
The association further emphasized that Indian doctors have earned global recognition, particularly in Western countries, due to their solid grounding in modern medicine. The IMA sees no rational basis for the government’s move and labeled it “ill-conceived.”
Having been unable to persuade the government to reverse its decision, the IMA now plans to take its case to the public. It urged citizens to oppose the initiative for the sake of the nation’s healthcare future. “We appeal to the people of India to resist this reckless experiment that could compromise medical standards for generations to come,” the statement read.
The IMA also referred to China’s experience, noting that efforts to merge modern medicine with traditional Chinese medicine in that country have not yielded positive results.
