**Abstract**

In the last century, there have been significant progress in the fields of health-care system and academics. The experience of implementing communityoriented medical education for more than last 5 decades at the Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (MGIMS), Sewagram, based on Gandhian ideology has helped us to develop a mutually beneficial partnership with local health system and community and to discharge our social responsibility. The institute has made several innovations in its academics and health care to raise the social consciousness of medical students as well as equip them to work in rural areas. We are sharing the innovations along with our experience of working in partnership with public health system and community for their further replication elsewhere.

**Keywords:** MGIMS, DCM, CBOs, Gandhian approach, community-oriented medical education
