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Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday attended the 4th convocation ceremony of Srimanta Sankaradeva University of Health Sciences (SSUHS), held at the Jyoti-Bishnu Antarjatik Kala Mandir, Khanapara in Guwahati in the presence of Vice-President CP Radhakrishnan and Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya, according to a release.
Speaking at the convocation, Chief Minister Sarma, who is also the Chancellor of SSUHS, welcomed the Vice-President and extended his heartfelt congratulations to the graduating students, their parents and teachers. He expressed confidence that the young graduates and diploma holders would uphold the noble traditions of the medical profession and serve humanity with compassion, kindness and empathy. Recalling his close association with SSUHS since its establishment in 2007, the Chief Minister said the university embodies the enduring message of human service propagated by Mahapurush Srimanta Sankaradeva. He said that the State Government, in collaboration with the university, has undertaken a transformative journey in medical education by expanding infrastructure and modernising academic curricula, the release said. Highlighting the universitys commitment to academic excellence, CM Sarma recalled that during the Platinum Jubilee celebrations of Assam Medical College in 2022, the State Government announced a special John Berry White Award for the student securing the first position in the final MBBS examination. He congratulated Dr. Vicky Dutta, the best graduate of 2023, Dr. Bhagyashree Modi, the best graduate of 2024, and Dr. Pritam Deka, the best graduate of 2025, who received the award at Sundays ceremony. He expressed hope that their achievements would inspire future generations and carry forward the legacy of Dr. John Berry White, a pioneer of medical education in the Northeast. Speaking on the growing demand for medical education, the Chief Minister said that the number of candidates aspiring to pursue medical education across India has increased from around 14 lakh in 2019 to nearly 20 lakh in 2026. Of these, around 56 per cent have qualified, while the country currently has 1,39,864 MBBS seats, making admission to medical colleges highly competitive. Sarma highlighted the substantial expansion of medical education infrastructure in the country since 2014. He said that the number of medical colleges has increased from 387 before 2014 to 846 today, while MBBS seats have risen from 51,348 to 1,39,864. Similarly, postgraduate medical seats have increased from 31,185 to 86,360. Underlining the transformation of Assams medical education landscape, the Chief Minister said that the State had only three medical colleges during the first five decades after Independence, whereas it now has 14 operational medical colleges. He said that the construction of nine additional medical colleges is underway at Charaideo, Biswanath Chariali, Golaghat, Morigaon, Tamulpur, Dhemaji, Sivasagar, Sribhumi and Goalpara, while the process of establishing new medical colleges has also been initiated in Bajali, Hailakandi, Hojai and Majuli. Sarma said that the 14 existing medical colleges currently offer a total of 1,875 MBBS seats. With the recent approval of Bongaigaon Medical College by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Assams total MBBS seats will rise to 1,975. Including the ESIC Medical College in Guwahati under the Union Ministry of Labour and Employment, Assam now has 16 medical colleges, taking the total number of MBBS seats in the State to over 2,000. The Chief Minister said the expansion of medical education has been accompanied by significant improvements in the States public healthcare system. He said that the maternal and neonatal mortality rates have declined considerably, while institutional deliveries have increased to 98 per cent and child immunisation coverage has crossed 95 per cent. Highlighting Assams pioneering efforts in cancer care, CM Sarma said that 17 cancer hospitals are being established at a cost of approximately Rs 3,700 crore under the Assam Cancer Care Foundation, with the support of Tata Trusts. Of these, 12 hospitals are already providing services to the people. He further stated that a state-of-the-art Proton Beam Therapy Centre would be established at Gauhati Medical College at an estimated cost of Rs 600 crore. The facility, he said, would be the first such proton beam therapy centre in the public sector in India, significantly strengthening Assams capacity to provide advanced cancer treatment. The Chief Minister said the State Government is also encouraging private participation to supplement the expansion of public healthcare infrastructure. He informed that the approval process for two private medical colleges is currently underway. He said that the rapid expansion of medical education and healthcare infrastructure would generate new employment opportunities, strengthen the States internal healthcare ecosystem and create the potential for Assam to emerge as a destination for medical tourism and advanced healthcare services. Stating the importance of Assams youthful population, CM Sarma said that the State must now focus on creating globally competitive human resources capable of meeting not only Assams requirements but also the needs of the wider world. He pointed out that while Indias median age is currently around 29 years, Assams average age is approximately 23 years, giving the State a significant demographic advantage for the next two decades. The Chief Minister said this advantage must be converted into an opportunity by developing world-class professionals in medicine, nursing and dental sciences. If Assam succeeds in building globally competent human resources, he said, the States young population could remain relevant to the international employment market for decades to come. He, therefore, urged SSUHS to explore the introduction of foreign-language training, including Japanese, alongside nursing education. He also assured that the State Government would extend financial assistance for such initiatives. Sarma further stressed the importance of equipping students with soft skills, practical English-language proficiency and technological competencies, in addition to professional medical knowledge. He expressed confidence that SSUHS would rise to the challenge and play a leading role in preparing globally competitive healthcare professionals from Assam. Calling upon the newly graduated students to remain conscious of their responsibilities towards society, Sarma urged them to uphold the highest standards of professional conduct and adhere to the principles and ethics of the medical profession. The Chief Minister moreover asked the young doctors to uphold the dignity of the medical profession at their respective workplaces and remain committed to serving the poor, vulnerable and distressed sections of society with compassion and dedication. Minister for Medical Education and Research etc. Ashok Singhal, Education Minister Ranoj Pegu, several MLAs, Chief Secretary Ravi Kota, Vice-Chancellor of SSUHS Anup Kumar Barman, university faculty members, distinguished guests and a large number of students were present at the convocation ceremony. (ANI)
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