Medicine

If reputation is the key, then All-India Instiute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has since its inception in 1956, has always been considered as the premier medical college. It remains there, according to its director Professor P.K. Dave, for a number of reasons-a small number of undergraduates (50 every year for MBBS) ensure plenty of personal attention from staff of high calibre; its reputation draws the creme de la creme among students; excellent library facilities and unique, liberal, holistic methods of teaching act as growth tonics for the students' intellect.
AIIMS owes its uniqueness in some measure to the autonomy it enjoys. It was the fulfilment of Jawaharlal Nehru's dream of a centre of medical excellence and a role model for south Asia, and unlike other medical colleges it was conferred the status of an autonomous institution of national importance by an act of Parliament. This also places the institute in a privileged financial position-last year it received more than Rs 250 crore from the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, as well as additional grants for various programmes. As a result, it can frame its own curriculum and select the best faculty and the best research facilities without interference from other quarters.

Top 10 Colleges
Of India

MEDICINE
1) AIMS Delhi
2) AFMC Pune
3) Lady Hardinge Medical College Delhi
4) Maulana Azad Medical College Delhi
5) Kasturba Medical College Manipal
6) JIPMER, Pondicherry
7) CMC Vellore
8) KEM Mumbai
9) Madras Medical College Chennai
10) St John's Bangalore

Not surprisingly one of AIIMS's strong points is the excellent and internationally acclaimed research in biomedical sciences. It also offers an unmatched atmosphere. "Being with the best students and learning from ace clinicians is extremely inspiring," says Priyank Jain, an intern. It's this inspiration that keeps AIIMS hale and hearty and flying high.