Bilaspur (Himachal Pradesh), Oct 6 (KNS): President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday conferred degrees on the first graduating batch of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Bilaspur at the institute's first convocation, marking a major milestone in its academic and healthcare journey.

The President addressed the graduating students in the presence of Himachal Pradesh Governor Kavinder Gupta and Union Health and Family Welfare Minister J P Nadda.

Congratulating the graduates, gold medallists, parents, guardians and teachers, Murmu said the first graduating batch has a special responsibility in shaping the identity and legacy of AIIMS Bilaspur.

She urged the graduates to uphold the reputation of the institute through their conduct, commitment and service, and reminded them that the medical profession carries a responsibility towards humanity.

The President called upon the graduates to keep the needs of people at the centre of their work, particularly those living in remote and inaccessible areas with limited access to specialised healthcare.

Given the geographical location of AIIMS Bilaspur, she urged the institute and its graduates to strengthen tertiary healthcare in the region through telemedicine, expert consultations, training of medical personnel and modern technology.

Murmu also highlighted the role of Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) in reducing the financial burden of healthcare for economically vulnerable families. Under the scheme, eligible beneficiaries receive health cover of Rs 5 lakh per family per year.

She said more than Rs 2 lakh crore has been spent on treatment under the scheme and stressed the need to ensure that information about such health protection measures reaches people in far-flung areas.

The President also called upon leading institutions such as AIIMS to contribute to developing basic and cost-effective healthcare solutions.

Exhorting the graduates to remain lifelong learners, Murmu asked them to keep pace with changing medical practices and health services and translate research into innovations that improve people's lives.

“The field of medicine is not just a field of science and technology. It is actually a field of compassion and trust as well,” she said.

Governor Kavinder Gupta congratulated the graduates and highlighted the role of AIIMS Bilaspur in bringing specialised healthcare closer to people in Himachal Pradesh and neighbouring states, particularly those from remote and tribal areas.

Recalling Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks at the inauguration of AIIMS Bilaspur, Gupta said the institute has been contributing extensively to healthcare, education and research and has strengthened Himachal Pradesh's position in the health sector.

He urged the graduates to place compassion, sensitivity and service at the centre of their professional journeys.

“I believe that these graduate students of AIIMS Bilaspur will make a new identity with their talent, their knowledge and their service spirit in various fields of the country and will make an important contribution in the construction of a Viksit Bharat,” Gupta said.

Nadda expressed happiness at witnessing the inaugural batch of AIIMS Bilaspur complete its academic journey and highlighted the expansion of medical education in the country.

He said the number of medical colleges has increased from 384 to more than 800, while undergraduate medical seats have risen from 51,348 to 1.42 lakh.

The Union minister said the government has set a target of adding 75,000 undergraduate and postgraduate medical seats by 2029, including an allocation of Rs 15,000 crore for creating 10,000 additional MBBS and postgraduate seats.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel

Highlighting the expansion of the AIIMS network, Nadda said that while the country had only one AIIMS for several decades, 16 new AIIMS have been established over the last 12 years.

He said the expansion was aimed at widening access to quality medical education and specialised healthcare across the country.

Speaking about AIIMS Bilaspur, Nadda said the institute has expanded beyond its initial target of 750 beds and now has 776 beds, with 26 specialties and 15 super-specialties fully functional.

He said the institute provides complex surgical procedures, cardiac catheterisation interventions, neurosurgery, comprehensive care, cancer care and radiotherapy services.

Nadda said AIIMS Bilaspur has recorded more than 12 lakh OPD consultations and over one lakh IPD admissions during the last four years.

He praised the faculty and staff for the pace at which the institute has developed and expressed confidence in its continued growth.

Addressing the graduating students, he urged them to uphold the reputation of AIIMS Bilaspur and carry its values of excellence and service into their professional careers.

“With your rapid growth, I am certain that very soon AIIMS Bilaspur will be at par with any other AIIMS in the country,” Nadda said.

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu also extended his best wishes to the graduating students and AIIMS Bilaspur.

Rajya Sabha MP Harsh Mahajan, Lt Gen (Dr) Daljit Singh (Retd), Executive Director, AIIMS Bilaspur, and Prof (Dr) Narendra Kumar Arora, President, AIIMS Bilaspur, were also present at the event.

A total of 92 students received their degrees at the convocation, including 43 MBBS students, 26 BSc Honours Nursing students, nine BSc Allied Healthcare students and 14 MD/MS students.

Murmu also presented gold medals to meritorious students across disciplines for their academic performance. The awardees included Sagarika and Rakshit Vashishth from MBBS, Bhawna Thakral from BSc Allied Healthcare Science, Bhavya Malhotra from BSc Honours Nursing and Prateek Goel from MD, Community and Family Medicine.

AIIMS Bilaspur began its academic journey with the induction of its first MBBS batch in January 2021, followed by the first batches of Allied Healthcare Sciences and Nursing Sciences in 2022. The institute was formally inaugurated in October 2022 in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

During 2024-25, the institute recorded more than three lakh OPD consultations and provided emergency medical services to over 17,000 people. More than 3,500 major surgeries, over 900 minor surgeries, more than 1,000 cardiac catheterisation procedures and over 3,200 dialysis sessions were carried out during the year.

Its diagnostic laboratories conducted more than 10 lakh tests during the period. The institute currently has around 620 students pursuing various undergraduate, postgraduate and super-specialty courses.

The convocation marked a significant milestone in AIIMS Bilaspur's institutional journey as its pioneering batch moved from academic training into professional service.

The newly qualified doctors, nurses, allied healthcare professionals and postgraduate specialists will join the healthcare workforce and contribute to patient care and public health across the country.(KNS)