Randomised control trial comes under which type of study ?

A Randomised Control Trial (RCT) is an experimental (interventional) study - specifically, it falls under primary, analytic, experimental study design.

Here's where it fits in the hierarchy of study designs:

Study Design Classification

Studies
├── Observational
│   ├── Descriptive (case reports, case series, cross-sectional)
│   └── Analytical
│       ├── Cross-sectional
│       ├── Case-control (retrospective)
│       └── Cohort (prospective/retrospective)
│
└── Experimental (Interventional) ← RCT falls here
    ├── Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) ✓
    ├── Non-randomised controlled trial
    ├── Quasi-experimental
    └── Field/Community trials

Key Features That Define an RCT

Feature	Detail
Study type	Experimental / Interventional
Direction	Prospective
Allocation	Random (reduces selection bias)
Control group	Yes (placebo or active comparator)
Blinding	Single, double, or triple blind
Causality	Can establish cause-and-effect

Position in Evidence Hierarchy

RCTs sit near the top of the evidence pyramid:

Systematic Review + Meta-analysis (highest)
RCT ← here
Cohort study
Case-control study
Cross-sectional study
Case reports / Expert opinion (lowest)

Why RCTs Are the Gold Standard

Randomisation ensures comparable groups at baseline
Controls for both known and unknown confounders
Prospective design minimises recall bias
Best design for testing therapeutic interventions

In summary: an RCT is a prospective, experimental (interventional), primary study and is considered the gold standard for evaluating the efficacy of treatments and interventions.

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