The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has clarified that Kerala will get an All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) only after March 2026.
This was revealed in a query under the Right to Information (RTI) Act filed by Kannur-based ophthalmologist K.V. Babu. The RTI reply says that the Union government is planning to set up these premier institutes in each State under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) in phases. The Health Ministry has requested the Ministry of Finance to grant “in-principle” approval for establishment of an AIIMS in Kerala. The Finance Ministry, in turn, advised the Health Ministry to include it in the next phase of the PMSSY. The current phase of the scheme ends in March 2026. The PMSSY is “under evaluation for continuation beyond the financial year 2025-26”, says the RTI reply.
This means that the declaration related to AIIMS is unlikely during the tenure of the current Left Democratic Front-led State government, as Assembly polls are expected to be held by April-May 2026. The revelation comes against the backdrop of the State government’s ongoing and consistent efforts to bring the premier institute to Kinalur in Kozhikode district. The Health department has set aside 150 acres of land for the purpose there, and the acquisition process for another 100 acres is in progress. Meanwhile, Union Minister of State for Tourism, Petroleum and Natural Gas Suresh Gopi has been demanding that the AIIMS be set up in Alappuzha. A section of BJP leaders has started another campaign to have it in Palakkad. A petition filed by a collective from Kasaragod seeking the premier institute for their district is pending in the Kerala High Court as well. BJP leaders from the State are seen to be not on the same page on the issue.
Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Prataprao Jadhav said in Parliament recently that none of the four sites proposed by the State government for setting up AIIMS has been approved in the current phase. Responding to questions raised by Hibi Eden, M.K. Raghavan, and E.T. Mohammed Basheer, Mr. Jadhav said the Kerala government had identified and proposed Kinalur in Kozhikode, Kattakada taluk in Thiruvananthapuram, Kottayam and Ernakulam districts for setting up AIIMS. Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda also said that Kerala would get an AIIMS “at an appropriate time” and at “an appropriate place”.
Published – October 15, 2025 07:12 pm IST
