Empowering Rural Youths: IIT-Kharagpur's Healthcare Initiative

The Indian Institute of Technology-Kharagpur has launched a center dedicated to training rural youths in healthcare, aiming for inclusive growth. The center will initially offer 150 students certification aligned with the National Skills Qualifications Framework. Graduates will support healthcare facilities, including the Shyama Prasad Mukerji Super-Speciality Hospital.

The Indian Institute of Technology-Kharagpur has launched a specialized center on its campus designed to train rural and semi-urban youths as healthcare professionals, an official announced Saturday. The new 'School for Skills: Healthcare & Technology' seeks to drive inclusive growth and skill enhancement within the healthcare industry, he said.

The facility plans to accommodate 150 students each year, offering short-term certificate courses that comply with the National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF). Upon completion, students will receive certifications from the Healthcare Sector Skill Council. These trained professionals will assist in patient care at facilities like the Shyama Prasad Mukerji Super-Speciality Hospital at IIT-Kharagpur and other healthcare institutions, he added.

Beyond direct patient care, some of the trained individuals will engage in field trials and validate healthcare technologies developed at IIT-Kharagpur, thereby facilitating systematic health data collection in rural regions of West Bengal and further afield. The first classes will begin in November 2025, with plans to broaden the course offerings in upcoming years, aiming to generate employment, empower women, uplift economically weaker communities, and enhance community resilience, according to the official.

(With inputs from agencies.)