IIT Indore Unveils Two New Schools Focused on Biomedical Engineering and Sustainability
In a transformative step toward advancing interdisciplinary education and cutting-edge research, the Indian Institute of Technology, IIT Indore has launched two pioneering academic institutions in collaboration with the Bhupat and Jyoti Mehta Family Foundation (MFF). These are the Mehta Family School of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering and the Mehta Family School of Sustainability.
This initiative comes at a crucial time, as India sees record participation in engineering entrance exams—with over 11.3 lakh students having appeared for JEE Main 2025. IIT Indore’s expansion not only addresses the increasing demand for technical education but also aligns with global trends toward sustainability and healthcare innovation.
Pioneering Biomedical Education with Clinical Exposure and AI Integration
The newly established Mehta Family School of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering aims to become a hub for research and innovation in critical health areas such as tuberculosis and antimicrobial resistance. A key focus will be fostering collaboration with seven Central Indian universities, positioning the school as a regional research powerhouse.
The undergraduate program will offer a BTech in Biomedical Engineering, designed with an emphasis on medical devices, clinical data analytics, and the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare. The curriculum integrates biology, engineering, and data science—offering students hands-on experience through clinical immersion at institutions like AIIMS Bhopal and MGM Medical College Indore, and access to advanced innovation labs like Breakerspace and Makerspace.
Alongside the undergraduate offering, the school will roll out three specialized postgraduate programs in biotechnology, biomedical engineering, and medical devices, along with a PhD program. In the next five years, the school plans to train 500 students and over 1,500 within a decade.
Creating Future-Ready Leaders in Sustainability
Simultaneously, the Mehta Family School of Sustainability at IIT Indore is set to launch a first-of-its-kind BTech program combining Sustainable Engineering and Environmental Economics. This interdisciplinary course aims to equip students with the tools to solve complex sustainability challenges by blending engineering, science, and economic insights.
In addition to the undergraduate course, the school will also offer a PhD program and three niche postgraduate programs. The academic model encourages collaboration across industry, government, academia, and civil society. Over the next few years, the school aims to graduate over 400 students and train more than 1,000 professionals through executive master’s and doctoral-level offerings.
According to IIT Indore Director Prof. Suhas Joshi, this approach marks a significant shift in preparing a highly skilled workforce for India’s growing sustainability sector.
Biomanufacturing and Research Ecosystem in Central India
The biomedical school is also laying the groundwork to become a center for antibiotic resistance research, with an emphasis on diseases like tuberculosis. To support this vision, IIT Indore has plans to develop a biomanufacturing cluster in Central India.
This facility will focus on smart protein manufacturing, enzyme design, and the production of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). The goal is to create an ecosystem where student training and industry-oriented R&D can flourish side-by-side. The center will support the development of new technologies from Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) 3 to 7, bridging the gap from early-stage validation to real-world prototyping.
Mehta Family Foundation’s Broader Impact
This isn’t the Mehta Family Foundation’s first venture into transformative education. Other notable initiatives include:
- IIT Madras: Bhupat & Jyoti Mehta School of Biosciences (2004)
- IIT Guwahati: Mehta Family School of Data Science & AI (2020)
- IIT Roorkee: Mehta Family School of Data Science & AI (2021)
- IIT Guwahati: Jyoti & Bhupat Mehta School of Health Sciences & Technology (2022)
- IIT Kanpur: Mehta Family Center for Engineering in Medicine (2023)
- IIT Palakkad: Mehta Family School of Data Science & AI (2024)
Through these strategic alliances, the foundation continues to strengthen India’s educational and research infrastructure in the most mission-critical sectors.
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