Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Jagat Prakash Nadda addressed the 39th Convocation Ceremony of the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research in Chandigarh, highlighting India’s expanding healthcare ecosystem, medical education capacity, and the growing role of technology in patient care.
The ceremony was attended by Gulab Chand Kataria and Vinod K. Paul, along with senior officials and faculty members.
Congratulating the graduating students, Nadda described the occasion as a defining milestone shaped by years of discipline and perseverance. He commended PGIMER for its longstanding contribution to advancing medical education, clinical research, and patient care, calling it “one of the largest public healthcare ecosystems in North India” and a centre of excellence.
The institute currently hosts more than 850 extramural and over 100 intramural research projects, underscoring its dual role as a premier education and research hub. He also acknowledged its leadership in complex procedures such as simultaneous pancreas-kidney, renal, and liver transplants.
Highlighting India’s healthcare transformation under the leadership of Narendra Modi, Nadda pointed to a significant expansion in medical infrastructure. From a single AIIMS and one PGI by the end of the 20th century, India now has 23 AIIMS institutions. Medical colleges have increased from 387 to 818, while undergraduate medical seats have risen from 51,000 to over 1.26 lakh. Postgraduate seats have also expanded substantially, reaching approximately 81,000–85,000.
Addressing the graduates, he emphasized that higher medical education is supported by substantial public investment, estimating government expenditure at Rs 30–35 lakh per student annually. He urged students to view their education as a responsibility to serve society.
Ahead of the convocation, new facilities—including a Cardiac Emergency unit at the Advanced Cardiac Centre and a Medical Heritage Museum—were inaugurated, further strengthening the institute’s infrastructure.
This year, 682 candidates graduated across disciplines, including PhD, DM, MCh, MD, MS, and MDS programmes. A total of 95 medals—comprising gold, silver, and bronze—were awarded in recognition of academic excellence.
Established in 1962 and designated an Institution of National Importance in 1967, PGIMER remains one of India’s leading tertiary care and research institutions. It operates 47 specialty and super-specialty departments with over 2,200 beds and handles millions of outpatient visits annually. The institute continues to play a critical role in advancing healthcare delivery, medical training, and research in India.