VP Highlights Decade of AIIMS Growth, Urges Graduates to Lead India’s Healthcare Future
VP lauds AIIMS growth; 523 graduates celebrated at convocation.
Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan on Tuesday highlighted the rapid expansion of India’s healthcare infrastructure over the past decade while addressing the 51st Annual Convocation of All India Institute of Medical Sciences. Speaking at the ceremony in the national capital, he said the growth of AIIMS institutions across the country has played a key role in improving access to quality healthcare and strengthening national integration through medical education and services.
Addressing graduating students, the Vice President urged them to uphold the legacy and standards associated with AIIMS and contribute to shaping the future of medicine. He said India’s premier medical institutions must not only keep pace with global developments but also lead innovation and set new directions in healthcare and medical research. He added that the expansion of AIIMS campuses into different regions reflects the government’s broader efforts to improve healthcare access nationwide.
The convocation ceremony saw the awarding of 523 degrees across undergraduate, postgraduate, super-speciality, doctoral, nursing, and allied health sciences programmes. The institute also honoured meritorious students with 18 medals, book prizes, and appreciation certificates for outstanding academic performance in MBBS, nursing, and allied health sciences disciplines. The event marked another milestone in the institution’s long-standing contribution to medical education and patient care in India.
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Union Health Minister J. P. Nadda also addressed the gathering and described AIIMS New Delhi as more than just a hospital or academic institution, calling it “a brand in itself.” He emphasised that students graduating from AIIMS carry a greater responsibility in mentoring newer AIIMS institutions being established across the country. According to Nadda, the government has focused extensively on strengthening India’s healthcare landscape during the last 11 years through institutional expansion and infrastructure investment.
Highlighting recent developments in the sector, Nadda said more than Rs 2,800 crore has been spent on improving and creating new infrastructure at AIIMS institutions. He noted that the number of AIIMS institutes in India has increased from seven in 2014 to 23 currently. He also stated that the number of medical colleges in the country has risen from 387 in 2014 to around 825 today. Additionally, the government plans to create 10,000 more undergraduate and postgraduate medical seats between 2025 and 2029 to address the growing demand for healthcare professionals.
The Health Minister also underscored the growing emphasis on medical research at AIIMS New Delhi. He said the institute is currently undertaking more than 900 extramural research projects with funding of nearly Rs 300 crore, alongside over 150 intramural research initiatives. The remarks reflected the government’s focus on advancing research, medical innovation, and capacity-building as part of broader efforts to modernise India’s healthcare and medical education systems.
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