The All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) represent a prestigious group of autonomous, public medical universities in India, governed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare under the Government of India. Established through an Act of Parliament as Institutes of National Importance, these institutions are headquartered in New Delhi and serve as a forerunner in the realm of higher education and advanced medical research across Asia.
Since its inception in 1956, AIIMS has evolved into a pioneer in medical education, providing world-class training, cutting-edge healthcare services, and impactful research. By January 2023, there were twenty-four AIIMS institutes, with many already operational, while more are proposed and expected to be fully functional by 2025.

This growth reflects the vision of leadership under Narendra Modi and his government’s commitment to strengthening the healthcare infrastructure in the country.
AIIMS’s role as a health institution is unparalleled, offering unparalleled opportunities in clinical practice, medical education, and research. Their autonomous status enables them to innovate freely while adhering to the highest standards set by the government. As a result, these institutes are seen as centers of excellence not only in India but also across the Asian continent.
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History of AIIMS in India
The journey of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) began with the laying of the foundation stone for the very first institute in New Delhi in 1952, a milestone that marked a significant shift in India’s healthcare landscape. This was a visionary effort to establish a center of excellence in medical education and research, addressing the urgent need for affordable, reliable, and advanced tertiary healthcare services in the country.

The institute officially came into existence in 1956, following the enactment of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences Act that same year, which granted AIIMS the prestigious status of an Institute of National Importance (INI).
This legislation was a testament to the Government of India’s commitment to creating a world-class medical institution, providing it with the necessary autonomy to flourish and innovate. The concept was inspired by the vision of leaders like Bidhan Chandra Roy, the then Chief Minister of West Bengal, who had earlier proposed a similar institute in Calcutta. However, the decision to establish the first AIIMS in New Delhi reflected the strategic importance of the capital city as a hub for medical education and health services.
Over the decades, AIIMS Delhi set the standard for medical training, patient care, and research. However, a significant power shift in healthcare policy came with the launch of the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) in March 2006 under the leadership of Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
The initiative aimed to correct regional imbalances in healthcare infrastructure by establishing six additional AIIMS-like institutions across underserved states, effectively expanding the AIIMS brand and mission throughout the country.
This expansion required legislative backing, and in September 2012, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (Amendment) Bill, 2012 was introduced to Parliament. Following a swift legislative process—with the Lok Sabha approving the bill on 27 August 2012, the Rajya Sabha on 30 August 2012, and receiving presidential assent on 3 September 2012—the Ordinance officially came into effect by the 4 September 2012 gazette notification.

This amendment solidified the status of the newly formed AIIMS institutions, granting them autonomy akin to the original AIIMS Delhi.
The historical narrative of AIIMS is thus not just one of a singular institution but of an evolving group of premier medical institutions under the government of India, each dedicated to bridging healthcare gaps and delivering affordable, cutting-edge medical services.
This evolution reflects a broader governmental vision to decentralize medical excellence while maintaining the high standards set by the original institute, ensuring that quality tertiary healthcare becomes accessible to all regions of the country.
Phase I of AIIMS in India
Back in March 2006, the Government of India launched the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) with the clear objective of improving healthcare access in under-served states. The vision was to set up AIIMS-like medical institutes in regions that lacked advanced facilities. As part of Phase I, six institutions were chosen: Patna, Raipur, Bhubaneswar, Bhopal, Jodhpur, and Rishikesh.
Initially, each institute was allocated a budget of ₹332 crore, which translates to around ₹11 billion or US$130 million (adjusted to 2023 values). However, by 2010, recognizing the growing needs, the allocation increased to ₹820 crore (about ₹18 billion or US$220 million). These were retroactively denoted as Phase I institutions, marking the first major expansion of India’s top-tier public healthcare education network outside of Delhi.
Phase II of AIIMS in India
After the success of the initial expansion under PMSSY, Phase-II marked a focused yet significant move forward. In 2013, a formal gazette notification under the existing Act led to the announcement of a new AIIMS in Raebareli, Uttar Pradesh. This institute was officially established as part of the government’s ongoing commitment to improve healthcare access in emerging regions.
The Raebareli AIIMS was denoted as a Phase-II institute under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY), continuing the legacy of decentralizing specialized healthcare and education across India. While Phase II included only one institution, its importance lay in strategically expanding AIIMS to a politically and geographically relevant area.
Phase III of AIIMS in India
Phase 3 of AIIMS expansion brought a strategic shift in India’s healthcare infrastructure by focusing on the modernization of existing medical college hospitals in Uttar Pradesh. Under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY), the goal was to convert these facilities into full-fledged super-speciality institutions aligned with the standards of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) model.
This phase initially included six key colleges. The cleared list featured institutes in Gorakhpur, Allahabad, Meerut, and Jhansi. Later, two more—Sarojini Naidu Medical College in Agra and Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi Memorial (GSVM) Medical College in Kanpur—were also upgraded and added to the group.
The decision to develop these institutions into AIIMS-like facilities reflected a strong intent to reduce regional disparities in advanced healthcare. Each of these colleges was chosen for its potential to become a super-speciality hub, strengthening the medical ecosystem in Northern India.
Phase IV of AIIMS in India
July 2014 marked a significant step forward in the evolution of India’s healthcare infrastructure. During the 2014–15 budget speech, the Minister of Finance, Arun Jaitley, announced the setting up of four new AIIMS institutes under Phase-IV, signaling a continued commitment to decentralized medical access. A budget allocation of ₹500 crore, later valued at ₹799 crore or US$94 million in 2023, was approved for this initiative.
The selected regions—Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, the Vidarbha region in Maharashtra, and Purvanchal in Uttar Pradesh—reflected a calculated choice to serve diverse and underrepresented zones. By 2018, both AIIMS Mangalagiri in Andhra Pradesh and AIIMS Nagpur in Maharashtra were established, creating vital healthcare and academic hubs in these states.
Following that, AIIMS Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh and AIIMS Kalyani in West Bengal became operational in 2019, bringing the total count under Phase-IV to four fully functional institutions. These developments didn’t just expand the medical footprint—they contributed to the standardization of quality care and medical education in regions long awaiting robust infrastructure.
Phase V of AIIMS in India
On 28 February 2015, during the 2015–2016 budget speech, Jaitley announced five more AIIMS, including AIIMS-like institutes in Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Assam, and Tamil Nadu, along with a proposal for one in Bihar. This bold expansion was followed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiling a development package on 7 November 2015, which included plans for two AIIMS in the capital cities of Jammu and Kashmir.
Under Phase‑V, several sites were confirmed: Changsari near Guwahati in Assam; Vijaypur in the Jammu Division; Awantipora in the Kashmir Division; Bathinda, Punjab; Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh; Madurai, Tamil Nadu; and finally Darbhanga, Bihar—which received approval in September 2020, with its foundation stone laid on 13 November 2024.
Funds trickled in from the government in December 2018, paving the way for partial funds allocation to AIIMS Madurai, whose own foundation was set in January 2019. Operational milestones followed quickly: AIIMS Bathinda commenced operations in 2019, and by 2020, AIIMS Bilaspur, AIIMS Guwahati, and AIIMS Vijaypur became fully operational.
Phase VI of AIIMS in India
It was on 1 February 2017, during the 2017–2018 budget, that Jaitley announced yet two more AIIMS under Phase‑VI, expanding the institute’s national presence. These new centres were planned for Jharkhand and Gujarat, and shortly after the announcement, site identified locations were confirmed—Deoghar for Jharkhand and Khandheri, near Rajkot, for Gujarat.
What stood out during this phase was the speed of execution. Within a short span, AIIMS Deoghar began operation in 2019, followed by AIIMS Rajkot starting its operation in 2020. As someone closely observing India’s healthcare evolution, the rollout of Phase VI felt like a well-calibrated response to regional gaps in tertiary care.
The AIIMS model had truly begun evolving into more than just a brand—it became a bridge between aspiration and access. Phase‑VI exemplified how timely policy backed by proper funding and execution can change the landscape of medical education and healthcare delivery in emerging regions.
Phase VII of AIIMS in India
Just a week after the 2017–2018 budget, on 9 February 2017, Jaitley once again took the spotlight as he announced a new AIIMS for Telangana. This move reflected the growing recognition of the state’s need for advanced healthcare and medical education facilities.
By 17 December 2018, the cabinet approved the location of the institute at Bibinagar, near Hyderabad, placing it strategically to cater to a large population underserved in tertiary medical care. This Phase‑VII institute wasn’t just another addition to the AIIMS family—it symbolised a regional commitment to quality public health infrastructure.
I personally recall discussions in medical circles at the time about how Telangana’s inclusion marked a maturing of the AIIMS expansion policy. When the institute started operation in August 2019, there was a clear sense of progress—not just in infrastructure but in access to opportunities for future healthcare professionals across southern India.
Phase VIII of AIIMS in India
In a notable development on 1 February 2019, during the interim budget presentation for 2019–2020, Piyush Goyal, who was holding temporary charge as the Minister of Finance, announced a new AIIMS for Haryana. This marked the beginning of Phase‑VIII in the AIIMS expansion journey, adding another crucial node in India’s healthcare network.
By March, the cabinet had formally approved the institute, to be set up in Majra Mustal Bhalkhi, a village in the Rewari district. For those of us observing the trajectory of healthcare infrastructure in northern India, this was a strategically chosen location—close enough to urban centres, yet capable of serving a wide rural belt often left behind.
AIIMS and Locations
No. | Name | Announced | Established | City/Town | State/UT | Phase | Status | MBBS Intake | NIRF Ranking | Overall NIRF Ranking |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | AIIMS New Delhi | 1952 | 1956 | New Delhi | Delhi | Fully Functional | 125+7 | 1 | 7 | |
2 | AIIMS Bhopal | 2003 | 2014 | Bhopal | Madhya Pradesh | I | Functional | 125 | 31 | |
3 | AIIMS Bhubaneswar | 2003 | 2014 | Bhubaneswar | Odisha | I | Functional | 125 | 15 | |
4 | AIIMS Jodhpur | 2003 | 2014 | Jodhpur | Rajasthan | I | Functional | 125 | 16 | 83 |
5 | AIIMS Patna | 2003 | 2014 | Patna | Bihar | I | Functional | 125 | 26 | 99 |
6 | AIIMS Raipur | 2003 | 2014 | Raipur | Chhattisgarh | I | Functional | 125 | 38 | |
7 | AIIMS Rishikesh | 2003 | 2014 | Rishikesh | Uttarakhand | I | Functional | 125 | 14 | 74 |
8 | AIIMS Raebareli | 2012 | 2018 | Raebareli | Uttar Pradesh | II | Functional | 100 | ||
9 | AIIMS Mangalagiri | 2014 | 2018 | Mangalagiri-Tadepalli | Andhra Pradesh | IV | Functional | 125 | ||
10 | AIIMS Nagpur | 2014 | 2018 | Nagpur | Maharashtra | IV | Functional | 125 | ||
11 | AIIMS Kalyani | 2014 | 2018 | Kalyani | West Bengal | IV | Functional | 125 | ||
12 | AIIMS Gorakhpur | 2015 | 2019 | Gorakhpur | Uttar Pradesh | IV | Functional | 125 | ||
13 | AIIMS Bathinda | 2014 | 2019 | Bathinda | Punjab | V | Partially functional | 100 | ||
14 | AIIMS Guwahati | 2015 | 2020 | Changsari | Assam | V | Classes started | 100 | ||
15 | AIIMS Jammu | 2015 | 2020 | Vijay Pur | Jammu and Kashmir | V | Partially functional | 62 | ||
16 | AIIMS Bilaspur | 2015 | 2020 | Bilaspur | Himachal Pradesh | V | Functional | 100 | ||
17 | AIIMS Madurai | 2015 | Not Yet Constructed | Madurai | Tamil Nadu | V | Not Yet Constructed But Classes Started | 50 | ||
18 | AIIMS Darbhanga | 2015 | Under Construction | Darbhanga | Bihar | V | Under Construction | 100 | ||
19 | AIIMS Awantipora | 2019 | Under Construction | Awantipora | Jammu and Kashmir | V | Under construction | 100 | ||
20 | AIIMS Deoghar | 2017 | 2019 | Deoghar | Jharkhand | VI | Functional | 125 | ||
21 | AIIMS Rajkot | 2017 | 2020 | Rajkot | Gujarat | VI | Classes started | 50 | ||
22 | AIIMS Bibinagar | 2017 | 2019 | Bibinagar | Telangana | VII | Partially functional | 100 | ||
23 | AIIMS Rewari | 2019 | Under Construction | Rewari | Haryana | VIII | Under construction | 100 | ||
24 | AIIMS Manipur | 2022 | Announced | Manipur | Announced |