Copyright timesnownews
The number of medical colleges in the country has increased from 387 to 819 in the last 11 years, Union Health Minister Nadda stated on Saturday (October 25) during his address at the 50th Annual Convocation Ceremony of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi. Nadda also claimed that the number of undergraduate (UG) medical seats has risen from 51,000 to 1.29 lakh, and the postgraduate (PG) seats have increased from 31,000 to 78,000. He also stated that an additional 75,000 seats are expected to be added across the undergraduate and postgraduate levels in the next five years. The health minister congratulated the graduating students and commended the AIIMS for its unparalleled contribution to advancing medical science, education and patient care in the country. He also urged the young doctors to serve people with empathy, uphold the highest standards of ethics and harness innovation to meet the country’s evolving healthcare needs. "Addressed the 50th Convocation of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi today," Nadda said in a tweet posted on microblogging platform, 'X' (earlier known as Twitter). "Urged the graduating students to remember that their job is not limited to curing illness, it’s about serving humanity, easing sufferings and bringing hope to people’s lives." "Country has made remarkable progress in medical education and healthcare infrastructure under the visionary leadership of Hon’ble PM Shri Narendra Modi. With 23 AIIMS institutions across the country, we are nurturing exceptional medical professionals committed to the service of humanity," the tweet added. This comes a little after the National Medical Commission (NMC) approved 10,650 new MBBS seats for the academic year 2024-25. The addition of 41 new medical colleges has raised the total number of medical institutions in the country to 816. According to NMC Chief Dr Abhijat Sheth, out of the 170 applications received for expanding undergraduate (UG) seats, 41 from government colleges and 129 from private institutions, a total of 10,650 MBBS seats have been approved. As a result, the overall MBBS seat count will reach 137,600 for the 2024-25 academic year, including seats in Institutes of National Importance (INI). Concluding his address, the health minister requested the graduating students to actively contribute to academics and research, and uphold the prestigious legacy and brand of the AIIMS through excellence in their professional and ethical conduct. (With inputs from PTI)
