September 17
Chief Secretary Shri V. Srinivas said India’s healthcare institutions are being strengthened through expansion of medical education, modern infrastructure, technology and specialised healthcare services. He said the next decade should focus on developing AIIMS institutions as globally recognised centres of medical research, clinical excellence and medical education, while keeping quality and compassionate patient care at the centre.
Delivering the Foundation Day Lecture at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Jodhpur, on Thursday, the Chief Secretary outlined a 10-year vision for institution building at AIIMS, focusing on world-class research, digital healthcare, modern infrastructure, strong teams and patient-friendly services.
The Chief Secretary said AIIMS Jodhpur, established in 2012, has emerged as an important centre for advanced and specialised healthcare in Rajasthan. The institute has 1,000 hospital beds, caters to around 6,000 OPD patients and handles more than 250 emergency admissions every day. It has also developed specialised capabilities in areas including paediatric cardiac surgery, TAVI, ECMO, bone marrow and stem cell transplantation, and IVF.
Expansion of Medical Education
Shri Srinivas said medical education in the country has expanded significantly. The number of government medical colleges has increased from 181 in 2014 to 441 in 2026, while the total number of medical colleges has reached 823. Undergraduate medical seats have risen from 51,348 in 2014 to 1,36,939 in 2026, while postgraduate seats have increased from 31,185 to 86,360 during the same period.
Highlighting the importance of institution building, the Chief Secretary said strong teams and timely recruitment are fundamental to building strong institutions. He stressed that modern infrastructure, efficient procurement systems, quality residential facilities for doctors and paramedical staff, and international collaborations are essential for creating world-class healthcare institutions.
Focus on Digital Healthcare and AI
The Chief Secretary said digital transformation has significant potential to improve access, efficiency and quality of healthcare. He highlighted electronic medical records, digital hospital systems, interlinked laboratories and technology-enabled patient services.
He also underlined the growing role of Artificial Intelligence, digital therapeutics and remote patient monitoring in healthcare, saying these technologies can play an important role in transforming healthcare delivery.
10-Year Vision for AIIMS
Presenting his 10-year vision for AIIMS, Shri Srinivas emphasised stronger global research collaborations and interdisciplinary research in areas such as genomics, Artificial Intelligence and public health.
He also highlighted the importance of global research fellowships, robust clinical cohorts and biorepositories, along with greater global visibility for AIIMS in high-impact medical research.
For strengthening clinical excellence, the Chief Secretary stressed streamlining OPD operations, digitising medical records through a unique health identification system, strengthening emergency triage and expanding multidisciplinary care. He also emphasised the need to make clinical areas more patient-friendly and improve support facilities for patients and their families.
Emphasis on Modern Medical Education
On medical education, Shri Srinivas called for regular curriculum reviews, greater emphasis on hands-on and simulation-based learning, interaction with global experts and wider use of modern diagnostics and technologies in clinical case discussions.
He also highlighted the need to retain high-quality professionals and strengthen institutional governance and decision-making mechanisms.
Technology-Driven Governance
Referring to Rajasthan’s Next Generation Administrative Reforms, the Chief Secretary said the State’s governance approach focuses on citizen-centric service delivery, technology-enabled grievance redressal, infrastructure development and women’s economic empowerment.
He said technology and Artificial Intelligence are increasingly becoming important tools for improving governance and public service delivery.
Concluding his address, Shri Srinivas said institution building at AIIMS and transformative governance have enabled a large section of the population to benefit from improved tertiary healthcare. He wished AIIMS Jodhpur continued success on its Foundation Day.
