AIIMS was created in 1956 to serve as a nucleus for nurturing excellence in all aspects of health care.

All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) was established as an institution of national importance with the objects to develop patterns of teaching in Undergraduate and Post-graduate Medical Education in all its branches so as to demonstrate a high standard of Medical Education in India; to bring together in one place educational facilities of the highest order for the training of personnel in all important branches of health activity; and to attain self-sufficiency in Post-graduate Medical Education.

The Institute has comprehensive facilities for teaching, research and patient-care. AIIMS conducts teaching programs in medical and para-medical courses both at undergraduate and postgraduate levels and awards its own degrees. Teaching and research are conducted in 42 disciplines. In the field of medical research AIIMS is the lead, having more than 600 research publications by its faculty and researchers in a year. AIIMS also runs a College of Nursing and trains students for B.Sc.(Hons.) Nursing post-certificate) degrees.

Twenty-five clinical departments including four super specialty centers manage practically all types of disease conditions with support from pre- and Para-clinical departments. AIIMS also manages a 60-beded hospital in the Comprehensive Rural Health Centre at Ballabgarh in Haryana and provides health cover to about 250 000 people through the Centre for Community Medicine.

AIIMS runs a variety of undergraduate courses in medicine, nursing and related areas and postgraduate courses in virtually all the basic and clinical medical specialties and super specialties. Admissions to these courses are based on entrance examinations conducted all over the country.

At AIIMS research is not just a routine activity but rather a mission with three objectives. As anywhere else, the primary purpose of research is to gratify curiosity by disciplined activity, thereby leading to creation of new knowledge. But at AIIMS, we are also conscious of the role research can play in improving the quality of teaching. A teacher engaged in research is up to date with recent information, and can also inculcate a sprit of enquiry and freedom of thought into his/her students. Finally, research at AIIMS is a part of our national endeavor to cultivate a scientific temper and to eliminate from our society the way of authority and superstition.

The library, named after the first Director of the Institute, is a treasure house having 61423 books, 53547 journals and 14008 reports in the field of Biomedical Sciences. The library receives 490 journals and 80 newsletters every year.

Functions of AIIMS

Undergraduate and postgraduate teaching in medical and related physical biological sciences.

Nursing and dental education

Innovations in education.

Producing medical teachers for the country.

Research in medical and related sciences.

Health care: preventive, primitive and curative; primary, secondary & tertiary.

Community based teaching and research.