President Murmu Attends First Convocation of AIIMS Bilaspur
President Droupadi Murmu conferred degrees on the first graduating batch of AIIMS Bilaspur in Himachal Pradesh and hailed the reach of the PM-JAY scheme.

Why in News
On 6 October 2026 President Droupadi Murmu graced the first convocation of AIIMS Bilaspur in Himachal Pradesh, conferred degrees on its first graduating batch of 92 students and awarded gold medals to meritorious students.
President Droupadi Murmu conferred degrees on the first graduating batch of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bilaspur in Himachal Pradesh on 6 October 2026, at the institute's first convocation. Governor of Himachal Pradesh Kavinder Gupta and Union Health Minister J. P. Nadda were present, and Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu sent his good wishes.
What the President said
The President told the graduates that the first batch of an institution shapes its identity, and that a patient comes to a doctor carrying fear and hope together, so sensitivity matters alongside knowledge and skill. She called quality treatment at minimal cost the hallmark of AIIMS. Given the hills around Bilaspur, she asked the institute to grow into a centre for advanced tertiary care, using telemedicine, specialist consultation for remote areas, training of medical staff and new technology. Medicine, she said, is a field of compassion and trust as much as of science and technology.
On Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, she noted that eligible beneficiaries get cover of Rs 5 lakh per family per year and that more than Rs 2 lakh crore has been spent on treatment under the scheme. She asked that word of such protection reach people in far-flung areas.
Figures the Health Minister gave
- Medical colleges have risen from 384 to over 800, and undergraduate seats from 51,348 to 1.42 lakh.
- Government targets 75,000 more undergraduate and postgraduate seats by 2029, with Rs 15,000 crore set aside for 10,000 additional MBBS and PG seats.
- The country had a single AIIMS for decades; 16 new ones have come up in the last 12 years.
- AIIMS Bilaspur has gone past its initial target of 750 beds to 776 beds, with 26 specialties and 15 super specialties working.
The institute and the batch
In all 92 students received degrees: 43 in MBBS, 26 in BSc Honours Nursing, 9 in BSc Allied Healthcare and 14 in MD or MS. The President also gave gold medals to meritorious students. AIIMS Bilaspur took its first MBBS batch in January 2021, added allied healthcare and nursing batches in 2022 and was inaugurated in October 2022. During 2024 to 2025 it recorded more than 3 lakh OPD consultations and over 10 lakh diagnostic tests, and about 620 students are on its rolls.
At a glance
| Occasion | First convocation of AIIMS Bilaspur |
| Degrees conferred by | President Droupadi Murmu |
| Graduates | 92 students |
| Beds | 776 |
Important Facts
| Occasion | First convocation of AIIMS Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh |
|---|---|
| Date | 6 October 2026 |
| Degrees conferred by | President Droupadi Murmu |
| Also present | Governor Kavinder Gupta and Union Health Minister J. P. Nadda |
| Graduates | 92 students, including 43 MBBS and 14 MD or MS |
| PM-JAY cover | Rs 5 lakh per family per year |
| PM-JAY spending | More than Rs 2 lakh crore on treatment of beneficiaries |
| Medical colleges | Risen from 384 to over 800 |
| Undergraduate seats | Risen from 51,348 to 1.42 lakh |
| Seat target | 75,000 more UG and PG seats by 2029; Rs 15,000 crore for 10,000 MBBS and PG seats |
| AIIMS Bilaspur capacity | 776 beds, 26 specialties and 15 super specialties |
| AIIMS network | 16 new AIIMS established in the last 12 years |
Exam Point of View
Remember who conferred the degrees (President Droupadi Murmu), the institute and state (AIIMS Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh), the number of graduates (92), the PM-JAY cover (Rs 5 lakh per family per year) and spending (over Rs 2 lakh crore), and the seat figures: colleges over 800, undergraduate seats 1.42 lakh, 75,000 more seats by 2029 and 776 beds at AIIMS Bilaspur.
Practice Questions
Who conferred the degrees at the first convocation of AIIMS Bilaspur in October 2026?
- A.The Prime Minister
- B.The President
- C.The Vice-President
- D.The Governor of Himachal Pradesh
Show answer
Correct answer: B. The President
Explanation
The correct answer is the President. President Droupadi Murmu conferred degrees on the first graduating batch of AIIMS Bilaspur at the institute first convocation and also presented gold medals to meritorious students across disciplines. Option A is wrong because the Prime Minister did not attend this ceremony, although he was present when the institute was formally inaugurated earlier. Option C is wrong because the Vice-President had no role in this convocation. Option D is wrong but close: the Governor of Himachal Pradesh, Kavinder Gupta, was present on the occasion and addressed the graduates, yet the degrees were conferred by the President. Union Health Minister J. P. Nadda also spoke, and the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, extended his best wishes to the graduating students.
What health cover does a family receive each year under Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana?
- A.Rs 1 lakh
- B.Rs 3 lakh
- C.Rs 5 lakh
- D.Rs 10 lakh
Show answer
Correct answer: C. Rs 5 lakh
Explanation
The correct answer is Rs 5 lakh. Speaking at the convocation, the President said that eligible beneficiaries receive health cover of that amount per family per year under the scheme, which reduces the financial burden of treatment for economically vulnerable families. She added that more than Rs 2 lakh crore has already been spent on the treatment of beneficiaries, and asked everyone concerned to make sure that information about such health protection reaches people living in far-flung areas. Options A and B are wrong because the cover is larger than either figure. Option D is wrong because the annual cover per family under the scheme is smaller than that amount. Candidates should remember the per-family annual cover together with the cumulative spending figure, since questions pair the two.
According to the Union Health Minister, to what number have undergraduate medical seats in India risen?
- A.51,348
- B.1.42 lakh
- C.2.5 lakh
- D.75,000
Show answer
Correct answer: B. 1.42 lakh
Explanation
The correct answer is 1.42 lakh. The Union Health Minister said that undergraduate medical seats have risen to that number, while the count of medical colleges has gone up from 384 to more than 800. Option A is wrong because that is the earlier figure from which undergraduate seats grew, so it is the starting point rather than the present number. Option C is wrong because no such figure was given for present seats. Option D is wrong but is a careful distractor: that is the number of additional undergraduate and postgraduate seats the government aims to add by 2029, and it includes an allocation of Rs 15,000 crore for 10,000 more MBBS and postgraduate seats. The Minister also noted that 16 new AIIMS have been established in the last 12 years, against a single one for several decades earlier.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who conferred the degrees at the first convocation of AIIMS Bilaspur?
President Droupadi Murmu conferred degrees on the first graduating batch on 6 October 2026 and presented gold medals to meritorious students, in the presence of Himachal Pradesh Governor Kavinder Gupta and Union Health Minister J. P. Nadda.
What cover does Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY provide?
Eligible beneficiaries receive health cover of Rs 5 lakh per family per year. The President noted that more than Rs 2 lakh crore has been spent on the treatment of beneficiaries under the scheme.
How large is AIIMS Bilaspur today?
It has gone beyond its initial target of 750 beds to 776 beds, with 26 specialties and 15 super specialties functional. About 620 students are pursuing undergraduate, postgraduate and super specialty courses there.
Sources
- https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2319547 (opens in a new tab) — Press Information Bureau
- https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2319526 (opens in a new tab) — Press Information Bureau
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