New Delhi: Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda called for a balanced, patient-centric expansion of the new AIIMS network while addressing a Leadership Conclave of Presidents and Executive Directors in New Delhi on Thursday.
He said the ongoing expansion demands equal focus on patient care, teaching and research. Moreover, he stressed the need to institutionalise structured patient feedback systems to improve satisfaction levels. According to him, the new AIIMS network must achieve global standards in care and education without losing its institutional ethos.
The Minister noted that the institutes are at different stages of development. Therefore, he urged mutual support and structured collaboration. He welcomed the formation of a 20-AIIMS research consortium aligned with national priorities. He added that leadership must combine administrative efficiency with academic excellence.
Clarifying governance roles, Nadda said the President of each institute provides oversight, while the Executive Director handles daily administration. He called for transparency and objectivity in decision-making. In addition, he urged adoption of artificial intelligence in diagnostics and expansion of telemedicine services.
New AIIMS network to deepen outreach and quality safeguards
On human resources, the Minister directed institutions to accelerate faculty recruitment without lowering standards. He suggested conducting four interview cycles annually and emphasised regular NORCET and Common Recruitment Examinations for nursing and non-faculty staff.
Further, he instructed that Jan Aushadhi Kendras and AMRIT Pharmacies must function in every institute to ensure affordable medicines. He also proposed structured faculty and student exchanges between AIIMS and other Institutes of National Importance.
Highlighting research collaboration, Nadda encouraged partnerships with Indian Institutes of Technology and Indian Institutes of Management in areas such as rare diseases, genetic disorders and medical innovation. However, he cautioned that capacity expansion should not dilute the quality of care and education.
He also called for responsible student leadership aligned with institutional values. During the event, he released a publication compiling office memoranda and financial guidelines prepared by the Ministry’s Finance Division.
Senior Ministry officials, along with Presidents and Executive Directors of various institutes, participated in the deliberations.
