Guwahati, June 18, 2025: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has announced an ambitious plan to increase the number of medical colleges in the state to 30 by 2029, almost doubling the current tally of 13. The announcement came during a ceremonial function at the GMCH Auditorium in Guwahati, where Sarma distributed appointment letters to 400 newly recruited Medical and Health Officers.
Reaffirming his government’s twin priorities of employment generation and public health reform, the Chief Minister said the initiative is part of a long-term vision to transform Assam into a national leader in healthcare innovation.
“From just three medical colleges in 2006, we now have 13 functional institutions. By 2029, we aim for 30, and by 2047, every sub-division in Assam will house one,” Sarma declared. “This will enable us to produce nearly 4,000 doctors annually and revolutionize our public health system.”
The appointment of 400 health officers brings the total number of government jobs created under Sarma’s tenure to over 1.2 lakh, with a target of 1.5 lakh in sight. He termed the recruitment a “significant leap” toward both employment and grassroots healthcare delivery.
Highlighting Assam’s remarkable strides in maternal health, Sarma noted that the state's Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) has plummeted from 480 in 2006 to 167 in 2021- a feat he claims is unmatched by any other Indian state.
Looking ahead, Sarma outlined a transformative healthcare vision anchored in technology. He predicted that traditional OPDs would soon give way to app-based teleconsultations, AI-driven diagnostics, and robotic surgeries guided remotely - even from outside India.
“The future of healthcare is not science fiction,” he said. “With AI, robotics, and genomic medicine, we can detect and treat diseases early, even in the remotest corners of Assam”
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He also reaffirmed the state’s commitment to expanding infrastructure with the upcoming Pragjyotish and Bongaigaon Medical Colleges, while asserting that public medical colleges will remain a priority over private institutions.
Sarma urged the medical fraternity to embrace data analytics, AI, and digital health tools. “The geography of diseases has changed. Doctors must evolve from being just healers to becoming tech-savvy professionals. If we align with this vision, Assam can lead India in public health by 2047,” he concluded.
