Govt focused on matching standards of all AIIMS institutions to AIIMS Delhi: Nadda

The Indian government is focusing on standardising and expanding AIIMS institutions nationwide, with 23 institutions now operating across the country.

Union Health Minister JP Nadda on Saturday said the government is focusing on ensuring all AIIMS institutions match the standards of AIIMS Delhi, while enabling them to mentor other medical colleges and healthcare institutions nationwide.

Addressing the 23rd convocation ceremony of the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) here, Nadda said that while the country had only one AIIMS till the end of the 20th century, six more were established during the tenure of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

''Since then, 16 new AIIMS have been added, taking the total number to 23 institutions across the country,'' he said.

Nadda noted that the number of medical colleges in the country has increased from 387 to 818, while undergraduate medical seats have risen to nearly 1.28 lakh, adding that postgraduate medical seats have expanded as well from around 31,000 to nearly 85,000.

He stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced the addition of 75,000 more UG and PG medical seats over the next five years, of which nearly 23,000 seats have already been established in the past two years.

The Union minister also said that the government has sanctioned nearly Rs 15,000 crore for the 2026-2029 period to strengthen undergraduate and postgraduate medical education infrastructure and improve quality standards in government medical colleges.

Nadda highlighted the ''transformative expansion'' of medical education in the country over the past decade and said India has witnessed unprecedented growth in healthcare infrastructure and medical institutions under the leadership of Modi.

The minister said healthcare was not merely about creating physical infrastructure but also about nurturing skilled and compassionate doctors.

''As policymakers, we can facilitate infrastructure and systems, but while buildings constitute the hardware, doctors are the true software of healthcare,'' he said.

He also lauded NBEMS for launching 11 new academic courses, stating that these programmes would significantly contribute towards enhancing patient care, strengthening specialised healthcare services and benefiting society at large.

Appreciating the implementation of the One Nation One Subscription initiative in institutions with NBEMS courses, he congratulated NBEMS for ensuring wider access to academic resources and learning opportunities for students and faculty members.

The Union Health Minister reaffirmed that NBEMS continues to make significant contributions towards strengthening medical education and capacity building in the country by producing skilled and committed healthcare professionals.

He urged graduating doctors to serve society with compassion, integrity and commitment, while also encouraging them to contribute towards academics and medical teaching.