Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh, virtually addressed the annual convocation ceremony of the 42nd batch of Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST), Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, on May 17, 2026. 

The event was attended by Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava as the Chief Guest. SCTIMST, an Institution of National Importance, functions as a statutory body under the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India.

Addressing the gathering, Dr Singh congratulated the graduating students and the institute on its Golden Jubilee celebrations. He praised the institution’s achievements and noted that approving the appointment of nearly 800 permanent faculty members would almost double the institute’s operational capacity. He also appreciated the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for establishing the nine-floor Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) block and the four-floor services block, stating that these new facilities would strengthen the institute’s position as one of India’s leading centres for neurosurgery and cardiac sciences.

Dr Singh commended the institute’s doctors for treating over 17,000 patients under the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Yojana (AB PM-JAY) since 2020. Highlighting the institute’s role in indigenous medical device innovation, he said the institute has a unique focus on developing world-class, highly effective, indigenous, and affordable medical devices. 

Speaking about the institute’s eight-institution MoU initiative, Dr Singh described it as a unique collaborative effort that brings together eight premier national institutions to create a synergistic research ecosystem. He said such partnerships would promote interdisciplinary innovation and strengthen India’s scientific and healthcare capabilities.

In her address, Union Health Secretary, Punya Salila Srivastava congratulated the graduating students for completing their education at what she described as a pioneering institution where engineers and medical professionals collaborate to drive healthcare innovation, develop new medical devices, and undertake cutting-edge research. She extended her best wishes to the students for a bright future and expressed confidence that they would make meaningful contributions to healthcare and medical science.

The Union Health Secretary also highlighted the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY), under which 75 super-specialty blocks have been established across the country, along with support for 22 new AIIMS institutions. Encouraging graduating students to serve in remote and underserved regions, she said the new AIIMS institutions are creating opportunities to strengthen healthcare delivery in difficult areas.

Srivastava emphasized that the Government is working towards strengthening regulatory systems while ensuring public safety and encouraging research, innovation, and commercial development. Referring to reforms being undertaken by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO), she highlighted efforts to simplify regulatory procedures for low-risk drugs, including easing requirements related to test licences. She added that steps are also being taken to simplify procedures related to bioavailability and bioequivalence studies for certain low-risk generic drugs, along with similar reforms in the medical devices sector.

Dr. Krishna M. Ella, Executive Chairman and Co-founder of Bharat Biotech International Ltd., attended the event as the Guest of Honour. Kris Gopalakrishnan, President of SCTIMST, Dr. Sanjay Behari, Director of SCTIMST, along with distinguished guests, faculty members, and parents of the graduating students, were also present at the ceremony.