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India's Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has launched an online training programme on AI in medical education, aiming to equip about 50,000 doctors with foundational AI skills for clinical practice, diagnostics, research, and decision-making.
The programme, developed by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences, has already drawn more than 42,000 registrations, the ministry said on Wednesday, indicating strong early uptake among medical professionals across the country.
However, the ministry has not disclosed details on the programme's curriculum structure, duration, assessment methods, certification outcomes, or whether specific AI platforms or vendors are involved.
It also remains unclear how the training will translate into real-world clinical deployment or measurable impact on care delivery once participating doctors complete the course.
WHY IT MATTERS
Addressing the media, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Anupriya Patel said the launch of the online course reflects the growing necessity of AI in healthcare, noting its potential to augment doctors' capabilities rather than replace them.
She said AI can help address clinician shortages, rising patient volumes and the country's disease burden – particularly non-communicable diseases and tuberculosis – by supporting a shift towards more proactive and preventive care.
Patel stressed that AI adoption in healthcare must be guided by accountability, accessibility, and ethical use to ensure technology improves care delivery while protecting patient interests.
Meanwhile, Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava described the programme as a major step towards strengthening medical education and advancing India's broader digital health agenda through the responsible adoption of emerging technologies.
The AI training programme, added NBEMS President Abhijat Sheth, is part of the board's effort to modernise medical education and help build doctors' capacity to deliver AI-enabled healthcare nationwide.
THE LARGER TREND
In 2023, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare launched SAKSHAM, a learning management information system that provides online training and medical education to health professionals across India, offering more than 200 public health and 100 clinical courses.
Individual institutions have also contributed to national upskilling efforts in digital health. The International Institute of Information Technology Hyderabad, for example, introduced an online introductory AI course for medical professionals in partnership with the ministry’s National Academy of Medical Sciences in 2024.
Separately, Apollo Hospitals announced last year that it would offer a master’s programme in computational health data science in collaboration with the University of Leicester in England.
