Chettinad Hospital & Research Institute, Kanchipuram

About Chettinad Hospital & Research Institute (CHRI) Kanchipuram – MBBS & PG Overview 2026

Chettinad Hospital & Research Institute (CHRI), popularly referred to as Chettinad Medical College, is one of Tamil Nadu's most reputed private deemed medical institutions. Established in 2006 and located within the sprawling Chettinad Health City on Rajiv Gandhi Salai (OMR), Kelambakkam, Kanchipuram District, CHRI is a constituent college of the Chettinad Academy of Research and Education (CARE, Deemed to be University). CARE was granted Deemed University status under Section 3 of the UGC Act in 2008 and has since earned some of Indian medical education's most distinguished recognitions — including NAAC A++ accreditation, UGC 12B status, Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (SIRO) recognition from DSIR, and a consistent presence in NIRF Medical Rankings. CHRI itself secured NIRF #49 in the Medical category (2021) with a score of 45.23 out of 100, placing it firmly among India's top 50 ranked medical institutions.

The college commenced with an MBBS intake of 150 students, which was enhanced to 250 MBBS seats per year from 2019 onwards, making it one of the larger-intake deemed medical colleges in Tamil Nadu. Today CHRI offers programs at all levels of medical education: 1 undergraduate MBBS, 19 postgraduate MD/MS specialities, 7 super-speciality DM/MCh departments, and a PG Diploma in Clinical Embryology — supported by an attached 1180+ bed super-speciality multi-department teaching hospital. The hospital is not merely an NMC compliance facility; it is a functioning tertiary care referral centre on the OMR corridor, serving a large urban and semi-urban population, receiving approximately 3,500 outpatients daily across all departments. This combination of institutional pedigree, ranking, research ecosystem, and clinical volume makes CHRI one of the most competitive and sought-after destinations for MBBS and PG admissions through MCC Deemed University counselling in Tamil Nadu.

CARE Deemed University – NAAC A++, NIRF & Research Excellence

The Chettinad Academy of Research and Education (CARE) is the academic parent of CHRI and stands as one of the most decorated deemed universities in Tamil Nadu. Its NAAC A++ accreditation — the highest possible grade awarded by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council — places CARE in an elite tier of Indian universities that consistently meet the highest standards in teaching, learning outcomes, research, and institutional governance. Additionally, CARE's recognition as a Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (SIRO) by DSIR underlines the institution's commitment to research-driven education, giving CHRI students and faculty access to tax benefits, government research funding, and collaboration opportunities that academic SIRO status unlocks. The university's UGC 12B status means its degrees carry full recognition for the purposes of postgraduate education and employment in India and internationally. For MBBS students, the CARE framework also means active encouragement of ICMR Short Term Studentship (STS) research participation — a programme that gives undergraduate medical students the rare opportunity to conduct mentored research and publish findings before completing MBBS, an experience that significantly strengthens competitive NEET PG applications.

Chettinad Health City – A Self-Contained Academic Medical Ecosystem

CHRI's campus is not simply a college — it is embedded within Chettinad Health City, a planned medical and educational township on Rajiv Gandhi Salai (OMR), Kelambakkam. This 33+ acre green campus houses the medical college, the super-speciality teaching hospital, nursing and allied health colleges, residential blocks, sports facilities, and administrative units — all within a single, architecturally unified environment. The campus's strategic placement on OMR — Chennai's IT and educational corridor connecting the city to Mahabalipuram — provides students with exceptional connectivity. The campus is 30 km from Chennai Raj Bhavan, 26 km from the UNESCO heritage site Mahabalipuram, and 35 km from Chennai International Airport. Tambaram Junction, the closest major railway station, is 25 km away and reachable in approximately 45 minutes by road. Multiple express buses and college-arranged transport services connect the campus to Chennai's major residential zones and railway terminals. The surrounding OMR ecosystem — with tech parks, residential complexes, hospitals, and retail facilities — ensures that CHRI students live in a modern, well-serviced environment that supports both focused academic study and a balanced campus life.

Academic Infrastructure – Smart Classrooms, Skills Lab & the 40,000 sq.ft. Library

CHRI's academic infrastructure is purpose-built for excellence in the competency-based MBBS curriculum mandated by NMC. The lecture halls feature seating for 300 students, full air-conditioning, LCD projectors, biometric attendance systems, and modern acoustics — among the best-equipped lecture environments in Tamil Nadu's private medical colleges. Demonstration halls for smaller groups (75–100 students) are similarly equipped with LCD projectors and AC. The Skills and Virtual Labs offer simulation-based training in clinical procedures, allowing students to practise skills before performing them on real patients — a critical requirement under NMC's CBME framework. The Central Library at CARE spans 40,000 sq.ft. across 3 floors, housing an extensive collection of medical textbooks, research journals, digital databases, and e-learning resources. The entire campus is Wi-Fi enabled, including residential areas. Two state-of-the-art auditoria with seating capacities of 1,200 and 500 respectively, equipped with advanced acoustics, host CMEs, symposia, national conferences, and cultural events throughout the academic year.

Clinical Exposure – 1180+ Bed Hospital & 3,500 OPD Patients Daily

The Chettinad Super Speciality Hospital at CHRI is the clinical backbone of the MBBS and PG training programmes. With over 1,180 operational beds and serving approximately 3,500 outpatient visits daily across all departments, the hospital provides the kind of high-volume, diverse clinical exposure that NMC's competency standards require. The hospital houses all general clinical specialities — General Medicine, Surgery, OBG, Orthopaedics, Paediatrics, ENT, Ophthalmology, Pulmonology, Dermatology, Psychiatry, Anaesthesiology, and Radiology — alongside three core para-clinical departments (Pathology, Microbiology, Biochemistry). Super-speciality services including Cardiology, Nephrology, Neurosurgery, Gastroenterology, Oncology, and Urology provide MBBS students with exposure to complex cases that junior-years students at smaller hospitals rarely encounter. The Emergency and Trauma Care Services handle complex multi-system emergencies round the clock. A 24×7 MRI and CT scanning facility supplements the radiology department's training activities. Additionally, CHRI operates the Chettinad Rural Health Centre at Poonjeri and the Chettinad Urban Health Centre at Karapakkam, enabling community medicine training and social outreach exposure for MBBS students through structured field postings.

Research Culture & ICMR STS Programme

CHRI actively encourages a research culture among its undergraduate medical students — a distinction that sets it apart from most private deemed medical colleges in Tamil Nadu. The institution's SIRO (Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) status from DSIR and active ICMR-STS participation mean that MBBS students can apply for funded short-term research projects under faculty supervision from as early as the second year. Students who complete ICMR STS research receive national recognition and publication opportunities that are highly valued in competitive NEET PG merit lists. The CARE university's research infrastructure, including well-equipped para-clinical research labs, access to national and international journal databases, and experienced research-active faculty, further supports this culture of inquiry. For students aspiring toward academic medicine, AIIMS, JIPMER, or NIH research fellowships, the CHRI-CARE research environment provides a meaningful head start.

Sports, Campus Life & Holistic Development

CHRI's commitment to holistic student development is evidenced by its exceptional sports and cultural infrastructure. The campus has an indoor stadium, a swimming pool, football ground, cricket ground, tennis and basketball courts, a 400m synthetic athletic track, and a fully equipped gymnasium. Annual inter-college sports meets, cultural festivals, and a vibrant student council ensure that CHRI's MBBS students experience a complete campus life beyond the classroom and hospital. The two auditoria (1,200 and 500 seat capacity) host frequent national medical conferences, CMEs, guest lectures by leading physicians, and cultural programmes. The college's diverse student intake from across India creates a cosmopolitan campus culture where students exchange regional traditions, languages, and perspectives — an enriching dimension that particularly benefits students from smaller towns who join CHRI from different parts of the country.

Compulsory Service Bond

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