New Delhi, March 22, 2026:
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Saturday said the integration of major medical institutions in the capital will strengthen healthcare services, expand medical education, and give a major push to research. She said the move is expected to significantly increase both MBBS and postgraduate (PG) seats, while also helping Delhi emerge as a national hub for medical education and advanced healthcare.
According to the Chief Minister’s Office, the Delhi government plans to merge Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital (GTB), Delhi State Cancer Institute (DSCI) and Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital (RGSSH) into an autonomous institution on the lines of the AIIMS model. At the same time, efforts are also underway to develop the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences (IHBAS) into a second NIMHANS-like institution.
Rekha Gupta said the objective of the initiative is not limited to improving treatment facilities, but also to strengthening medical education by making better use of faculty, infrastructure and institutional resources. She said that once similar departments and disciplines functioning separately in GTB Hospital, DSCI and RGSSH are integrated, the combined faculty strength will make it possible to increase PG seats in a substantial way.
At present, resources and manpower across these institutions are fragmented, resulting in underutilisation in several areas. Under the proposed integration plan, faculty members including assistant professors, associate professors and professors will be pooled. Officials said that under medical education norms, an associate professor can support two PG seats, while a professor can support three. This means that once departments are merged and faculty strength is combined, postgraduate teaching capacity will rise automatically.
The Chief Minister said major gains are expected in departments such as radiology, pathology and anaesthesia. Officials indicated that radiology, where seats are currently very limited or absent in some institutions, could see the number of PG seats rise to around 22 after integration. In pathology, the number of seats may increase to nearly 26, while anaesthesia could rise to about 48 seats. The increase is expected to come not only from merging departments but also from filling vacant faculty posts that have remained unfilled in several hospitals.
The plan is also expected to create opportunities for starting PG courses in specialised departments that currently do not offer such seats, especially in DSCI and RGSSH. At the Delhi State Cancer Institute, around 26 new PG seats may be introduced in areas such as radiation oncology, nuclear medicine, cancer research and intensive care. At Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital, nearly 14 new PG seats are expected in super-speciality disciplines such as cardiology and cardiac surgery.
Rekha Gupta said the proposed integration will also create a pathway for increasing MBBS seats in the future. She noted that with higher bed strength, improved patient load, and greater faculty availability, the institutions would be in a stronger position to expand undergraduate medical education as well. To support this growth, the government is planning to strengthen academic infrastructure through the development of hostels, modern laboratories, lecture theatres, and related facilities.
The Chief Minister said the broader vision is to develop Delhi into a leading national centre for medical education, research and advanced healthcare delivery. By integrating institutions and optimizing the use of medical equipment, faculty and infrastructure, the government aims to provide students with improved training, greater exposure to clinical practice, and better research opportunities.
She said the initiative reflects the government’s commitment to not only improving public healthcare in the capital but also creating a stronger ecosystem for training future doctors and specialists. According to the Chief Minister, the integration of these hospitals and institutions will help raise the quality of treatment, improve academic outcomes, and position Delhi at the forefront of healthcare and medical research in India.
