PGIMER — Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Institute of Medical Sciences

The Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, is one of India's most prestigious medical institutions, designated as an 'Institute of National Importance' by the Government of India through an Act of Parliament (PGIMER Act, 1966). Located in Sector 12, Chandigarh-160012, PGIMER functions as an autonomous body under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, providing a unique combination of tertiary care treatment, postgraduate medical education, and cutting-edge biomedical research.

The institute is also linked with the Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Institute of Medical Sciences in Mohali. PGIMER serves as the primary referral centre for patients from Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhand, and Rajasthan — a catchment area of over 150 million people. It was ranked second among all medical colleges and institutions in India by the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) in 2024, reflecting its consistent excellence in clinical care, research output, and faculty quality. The institute offers highly subsidized tertiary and quaternary level care to patients regardless of economic background, fulfilling its mandate of accessible excellence in medical care. The institute's 1966 parliamentary mandate established it not merely as a hospital but as a teaching institution with a mission to produce specialist physicians, conduct medical research, and advance clinical practice across all disciplines — a tripartite mission that distinguishes PGIMER from purely service-oriented institutions.

PGIMER Chandigarh offers the complete spectrum of medical and surgical specialties, including super-specialty and sub-specialty services unavailable at most other institutions in northern India. The Advanced Cardiac Centre (ACC) is one of its flagship units, providing cardiac bypass surgery, complex interventional cardiology, electrophysiology, and paediatric cardiac surgery for congenital heart diseases.

The Regional Cancer Centre (RCC) delivers comprehensive oncology care including medical oncology, radiation oncology, surgical oncology, and bone marrow transplantation. The Transplant Programme covers kidney, liver, and bone marrow transplantation. Other key departments include Neurology and Neurosurgery for brain tumours, epilepsy, and spinal conditions; Nephrology for chronic kidney disease and dialysis; Gastroenterology and Hepatology; Haematology and Blood Disorders; Endocrinology including diabetes and thyroid; Rheumatology; Pulmonology; Ophthalmology; and Reproductive Medicine. Emergency and Trauma Centre provides 24-hour acute care. PGIMER trains postgraduate and doctoral students across all these disciplines, ensuring that care is delivered by physicians at the frontiers of evidence-based medicine.

PGIMER operates one of the largest hospital complexes in India, with multiple super-specialty blocks housing thousands of beds across inpatient, ICU, and daycare categories. Key infrastructure includes the Advanced Cardiac Centre block with dedicated cardiac catheterisation laboratories, cardiac ICU, and cardiac operation theatres; the Regional Cancer Centre with radiation therapy bunkers (linear accelerators, brachytherapy), chemotherapy daycare units, and surgical oncology theatres; and a state-of-the-art Emergency and Trauma Centre.

Diagnostic infrastructure includes NABL-accredited clinical laboratories providing over 1,000 test categories, advanced imaging with MRI, CT, PET-CT, digital angiography, and nuclear medicine. The institute's research infrastructure supports hundreds of clinical and basic science research projects simultaneously, with dedicated research funding through the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Department of Biotechnology, and international collaborators. PGIMER's blood bank and bone marrow transplant unit serve patients from across northern India. Central sterile supply and pharmaceutical services support the hospital's complex clinical operations. Telemedicine and e-health initiatives extend the institute's specialist reach to remote northern India.

PGIMER Chandigarh is accessible from Chandigarh International Airport, which is served by domestic flights from Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and other major Indian cities. Chandigarh is approximately 260 km from New Delhi via NH-44 (approximately 4 hours by road), enabling combined visits to Delhi-NCR hospitals with PGIMER as a referral option for complex cases.

As a premier government institution, PGIMER is sought by the Indian diaspora from the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, and Australia for expert second opinions, complex specialty consultations, and procedures that leverage the institute's depth of expertise at government-subsidised cost. The Foreign Patients Cell at PGIMER provides registration assistance, specialist appointment coordination, and treatment facilitation for international visitors. Translation support is available in English and Hindi. Complex cases involving rare diseases, unusual presentations, or treatment failures elsewhere are particularly well-suited for PGIMER's multidisciplinary expert teams. OPD registration is available at the hospital's Nehru Hospital block. Address: Sector 12, Chandigarh-160012. Website: www.pgimer.edu.in.

PGIMER holds an exceptional portfolio of national and international recognition. It is consistently ranked second among all medical institutions in India by the NIRF Medical Rankings (2024), reflecting its sustained excellence across teaching, research, and clinical care. The institute holds NAAC accreditation for academic quality and NABH accreditation for hospital quality and patient safety standards.

PGIMER is designated as a WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in multiple health domains, connecting it to the global network of public health research. It is a recognized centre for advanced medical research by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT). The Medical Council of India has approved PGIMER for postgraduate medical education across all major specialties and super-specialties. PGIMER's Advanced Cardiac Centre is recognized as one of India's highest-volume cardiac surgery units, and its transplant programme has among the best outcomes data in India. The Chandigarh administration also recognizes PGIMER as the apex referral healthcare provider for the Union Territory of Chandigarh.