The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has criticized Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER) Puducherry’s reported move to start the country’s first MBBS-BAMS dual degree programme calls it ‘Mixopathy’, warned that such integration would create “hybrid doctors” and compromise public health. The association said it is confident that the National Medical Commission (NMC) will oppose the plan.
IMA has long resisted the blending of modern medicine with traditional systems such as Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy, which it terms “mixopathy.” The association argues that each system should remain distinct, warning that mixing them is “unscientific” and risks diluting the credibility of modern medicine.
The controversy around integration began in 2020, when the government allowed postgraduate Ayurveda practitioners to be trained in performing general surgeries. Since then, the IMA has staged repeated protests against efforts to grant surgical rights or advanced procedures to practitioners of alternative medicine.
JIPMER’s proposed dual degree
According to reports, JIPMER Puducherry is working on launching an MBBS-BAMS dual degree course in collaboration with Ayurvedic universities. The IMA warned that such a move would undermine JIPMER’s reputation as an institute of national importance. “We are certain that the NMC has not been consulted, and once informed, it will firmly oppose this unscientific step,” the association said.
IMA also highlighted how modern medicine has historically eradicated or controlled life-threatening diseases, and most recently, how vaccines and antivirals played a critical role in saving millions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
RTI uncovers Auroville’s involvement
An RTI revealed that the proposal to introduce “Integral Medical Education” offering dual MBBS and BAMS degrees has links with the Auroville Foundation. The initiative is reportedly being pursued through an agreement involving Auroville Foundation, JIPMER, and the Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda (ITRA), Jamnagar.
As per the RTI response, draft curricula have already been prepared with contributions from both Ayurvedic institutions and JIPMER, and are being refined to merge teaching methodologies from both disciplines.
IMA rejects ‘hybrid doctors’
Reiterating its opposition, the IMA said the move would produce “half-baked doctors” who would amount to “qualified quacks.” It further argued that the plan strips patients of their right to freely choose between systems of medicine.
Calling the dual-degree proposal “regressive,” the IMA demanded its immediate withdrawal. “Patients must retain the right to choose their treatment system. By mixing disciplines, that right is taken away,” the association stated.
