By Kartikey Bhatt For an Indian medical aspirant, securing an MBBS seat at an AIIMS is one of the most competitive achievements after Class 12. The attraction goes beyond the AIIMS name. These institutes offer medical education in an environment that combines teaching hospitals, specialist departments, clinical training, research and relatively affordable government fees. This makes AIIMS institutions highly preferred during medical counselling.
However, students should not assume that every AIIMS offers exactly the same experience. AIIMS New Delhi has decades of academic and clinical legacy, while several newer AIIMS are still expanding their departments, infrastructure and research ecosystems. Patient load, location, campus maturity and availability of specialist facilities can therefore differ.
For students preparing for NEET-UG and MBBS admission in 2026, this guide presents 10 leading AIIMS colleges in India. The order is a practical shortlist based on the latest available institutional standing, academic reputation, clinical environment, infrastructure and student preference rather than an official ranking of all AIIMS campuses.
Top 10 AIIMS Colleges in India 2026
| Rank | AIIMS | Location | Major Strength |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AIIMS New Delhi | New Delhi | Medical education, research & clinical exposure |
| 2 | AIIMS Rishikesh | Uttarakhand | Healthcare, academics & research |
| 3 | AIIMS Bhubaneswar | Odisha | Medical education & clinical services |
| 4 | AIIMS Jodhpur | Rajasthan | Modern healthcare & academics |
| 5 | AIIMS Bhopal | Madhya Pradesh | Clinical education & research |
| 6 | AIIMS Patna | Bihar | Medical training & patient exposure |
| 7 | AIIMS Raipur | Chhattisgarh | Healthcare & medical education |
| 8 | AIIMS Nagpur | Maharashtra | Developing academic and healthcare ecosystem |
| 9 | AIIMS Bathinda | Punjab | Modern medical infrastructure |
| 10 | AIIMS Mangalagiri | Andhra Pradesh | Growing clinical & academic environment |
Note: This is not an official government ranking of AIIMS institutions. Students should check the latest 2026 counselling information, seat matrix and institute facilities before filling their preferences.
1. AIIMS New Delhi
All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi remains the most prestigious AIIMS and one of India’s most sought-after medical institutions.
Its biggest advantage is the scale of its clinical and academic ecosystem. Students receive exposure to a huge variety of patients, specialist departments, complex medical cases and research activities.
Why AIIMS Delhi remains the first preference:
- Exceptional academic reputation
- Extensive clinical exposure
- Major speciality and super-speciality departments
- Strong research environment
- Experienced faculty
- Established alumni network
- Excellent opportunities for higher medical education
Competition is extraordinarily high. Students generally need an exceptional NEET-UG performance to secure an MBBS seat here.
2. AIIMS Rishikesh
AIIMS Rishikesh has established itself as one of the stronger newer AIIMS institutions.
Located in Uttarakhand, the institute combines medical education with tertiary healthcare services and research.
Students benefit from studying in an environment where academic learning is closely connected with hospital-based training.
Important strengths include:
- Modern hospital facilities
- Clinical exposure
- Research opportunities
- Specialist departments
- Residential campus
- Expanding healthcare services
For students unable to secure AIIMS Delhi, Rishikesh is commonly among the AIIMS options worth considering high in the preference order.
3. AIIMS Bhubaneswar
AIIMS Bhubaneswar has become an important centre for medical education and tertiary healthcare in eastern India.
Its growing patient base can be particularly valuable for MBBS students because medicine is learned not only through textbooks but also through continuous clinical observation.
Students progress from pre-clinical subjects to hospital-based learning and eventually internship responsibilities.
Students may benefit from:
- Strong hospital environment
- Diverse patient exposure
- Medical research
- Modern campus infrastructure
- Specialist departments
- Academic activities
It can be particularly attractive for candidates from eastern India, although geographical proximity should not be the only selection factor.
4. AIIMS Jodhpur
AIIMS Jodhpur is another highly preferred institute among the newer generation of AIIMS.
Located in Rajasthan, it has developed a substantial medical education and healthcare environment.
The institute provides undergraduate students with access to hospital facilities and multiple clinical departments.
Why students consider AIIMS Jodhpur:
- Modern infrastructure
- Academic environment
- Clinical facilities
- Research opportunities
- Specialist medical services
- Residential campus
When comparing Jodhpur with Rishikesh, Bhubaneswar or Bhopal, students should examine current facilities and personal preferences instead of relying solely on small differences in rankings.
5. AIIMS Bhopal
AIIMS Bhopal is a prominent central government medical institution serving Madhya Pradesh and surrounding regions.
The institute provides MBBS students with academic teaching alongside hospital and clinical exposure.
Its central location can also be relatively convenient for students travelling from different regions of India.
Important areas to compare include:
- Patient inflow
- Faculty
- Hospital facilities
- Clinical departments
- Research opportunities
- Hostel and campus environment
As the institution continues to mature, its academic and clinical ecosystem can provide students with increasingly diverse learning opportunities.
6. AIIMS Patna
AIIMS Patna plays an important healthcare and medical-education role in Bihar.
One of the biggest factors students should investigate when choosing any medical college is patient exposure. A hospital serving a large population can provide students with experience across numerous diseases and clinical presentations.
AIIMS Patna can therefore be considered for:
- MBBS education
- Hospital-based learning
- Clinical exposure
- Research
- Internship training
- Postgraduate medical environment
Students should compare campus facilities and departmental development with other AIIMS available at their NEET rank.
7. AIIMS Raipur
AIIMS Raipur is a major central government healthcare and teaching institution in Chhattisgarh.
The institute serves patients from the state and surrounding areas, providing medical students with opportunities for practical clinical learning.
Key advantages include:
- Government medical education
- Teaching-hospital environment
- Clinical departments
- Patient exposure
- Research activities
- Residential campus
Students should remember that the quality of an MBBS experience depends significantly on how actively they participate in clinical postings, bedside learning and academic activities.
8. AIIMS Nagpur
AIIMS Nagpur is one of the relatively newer AIIMS institutions and is developing its presence in medical education and tertiary healthcare.
Nagpur’s central geographical position and status as a major city in Maharashtra add to its attractiveness.
Students can study medicine while gaining exposure to a growing hospital ecosystem.
Factors worth checking include:
- Current hospital services
- Patient volume
- Department development
- Faculty strength
- Hostel facilities
- Research opportunities
Since newer AIIMS institutions can develop quickly, students should use the most recent information available during 2026 counselling rather than relying on reviews from several years earlier.
9. AIIMS Bathinda
AIIMS Bathinda is an important newer AIIMS serving Punjab and nearby regions.
Its modern campus and healthcare infrastructure make it an emerging choice among students considering newer AIIMS institutions.
As with any relatively young medical college, candidates should examine the current maturity of clinical departments and hospital services.
Students should compare:
- Patient inflow
- Hospital infrastructure
- Faculty availability
- Clinical departments
- Campus facilities
- Connectivity
For students from northern India, location can be an additional advantage, although academic and clinical factors should remain the priority.
10. AIIMS Mangalagiri
AIIMS Mangalagiri in Andhra Pradesh completes this practical top-10 shortlist.
The institution has been developing its academic, hospital and research capabilities and serves an important role in the region’s public healthcare system.
Students considering Mangalagiri should focus on current clinical facilities rather than judging it only by its newer establishment.
Its growing healthcare environment can provide opportunities for:
- Undergraduate medical education
- Clinical postings
- Patient interaction
- Research
- Internship training
- Exposure to multiple medical departments
How to Get Admission to AIIMS for MBBS in 2026
A major change from the older admission system is that AIIMS no longer conducts a separate undergraduate MBBS entrance examination.
MBBS admission to AIIMS is through NEET-UG, followed by the applicable central counselling process.
The broad pathway is:
- Complete Class 12 with the required subjects and eligibility
- Register for NEET-UG 2026
- Appear for NEET-UG
- Obtain the strongest possible All India Rank
- Register for applicable MCC counselling
- Fill AIIMS preferences carefully
- Participate in seat-allotment rounds
- Complete document verification
- Report to the allotted AIIMS
Students should follow the official 2026 admission and counselling rules because dates, seat matrices and procedures can change.
How Much NEET Score Is Required for AIIMS?
There is no single NEET score that guarantees an AIIMS seat.
Admission depends more accurately on rank, category, available seats and counselling choices. The marks required to achieve a particular rank can change every year depending on examination difficulty and candidate performance.
AIIMS Delhi generally requires an exceptionally high rank, while some newer AIIMS may remain available at comparatively later ranks.
Students should therefore study:
- Previous closing ranks
- Category-specific trends
- Number of seats
- Counselling rounds
- Their expected All India Rank
Do not treat a previous year’s marks as a guaranteed 2026 cut-off.
AIIMS Delhi vs New AIIMS: What Should You Choose?
If a student gets AIIMS Delhi, it will naturally be among the strongest choices because of its mature clinical, academic and research ecosystem.
The decision becomes more complicated when comparing newer AIIMS institutions.
Consider:
- Hospital patient load
- Clinical departments
- Faculty
- Campus maturity
- Research facilities
- Hostel quality
- Connectivity
- Distance from home
- Personal comfort with location
For MBBS, strong clinical exposure should receive greater importance than superficial factors such as campus appearance.
Why AIIMS Colleges Are Highly Preferred
AIIMS institutions attract top medical aspirants because they combine several advantages.
Major benefits include:
- Central government institution status
- Relatively affordable medical education
- Teaching-hospital exposure
- Research opportunities
- Experienced medical faculty
- National reputation
- Specialist healthcare environment
- Opportunities for postgraduate learning
The combination of affordable fees and high-quality medical exposure makes AIIMS seats exceptionally competitive.
Don’t Choose an AIIMS Only by Its Name
The AIIMS brand is valuable, but students should still investigate the individual campus.
Some newer institutes are at different stages of development. Hospital services, patient volume, specialist departments and infrastructure can differ.
During counselling, compare the current 2026 situation at each institute instead of relying on information from its early years.
For an MBBS student, daily clinical learning and patient interaction ultimately matter more than an impressive campus photograph.
FAQs
Q1. Which is the No. 1 AIIMS college in India in 2026?
A. AIIMS New Delhi remains the leading and most sought-after AIIMS because of its long academic history, extensive hospital ecosystem, research strength and exceptional clinical exposure. It generally requires one of the highest NEET ranks among medical colleges in India.
Q2. Is there a separate AIIMS entrance exam in 2026?
A. No separate AIIMS MBBS entrance examination is used. Students seeking MBBS admission to AIIMS need to follow the NEET-UG route and applicable central counselling process. Candidates should check the latest 2026 NEET and MCC rules while applying.
Q3. Which AIIMS is best after AIIMS Delhi?
A. Institutes such as AIIMS Rishikesh, AIIMS Bhubaneswar, AIIMS Jodhpur and AIIMS Bhopal are commonly among the stronger preferences after Delhi. The best order can vary depending on current hospital development, clinical exposure, location and individual priorities.
Q4. Is it better to choose a newer AIIMS or an established state government medical college?
A. The AIIMS name alone should not decide the choice. Compare patient load, hospital departments, faculty, campus maturity, fees, location and postgraduate environment. In some cases, a highly established government medical college with exceptional clinical exposure can be preferable to a much newer AIIMS for an individual student.