| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Kadapa |
| Commonly Known As | RIMS Kadapa |
| Country | India |
| State | Andhra Pradesh |
| District | YSR Kadapa District |
| Field | Medical Education and Healthcare |
| Institution Type | Government Medical College and Teaching Hospital |
| Affiliated University | Dr. NTR University of Health Sciences, Vijayawada |
| Governing Body | Government of Andhra Pradesh |
Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Kadapa, commonly referred to as RIMS Kadapa, is a government medical college and teaching hospital located in Kadapa, the headquarters of YSR Kadapa District in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. The institution is administered by the Government of Andhra Pradesh and is affiliated to Dr. NTR University of Health Sciences, Vijayawada, which is the apex body for health sciences education in the state. RIMS Kadapa serves a dual purpose: it functions as a centre for undergraduate and postgraduate medical education and simultaneously operates as a major public referral hospital catering to the healthcare needs of the Rayalaseema region.
Kadapa district and the broader Rayalaseema region have historically faced challenges in accessing tertiary healthcare facilities. The establishment of RIMS Kadapa was part of a broader state government initiative to expand medical education infrastructure and improve healthcare delivery in underserved districts of Andhra Pradesh. By situating a government medical college in Kadapa, the state aimed to reduce the burden on larger urban centres such as Tirupati and Kurnool while simultaneously producing medical graduates who are familiar with the health challenges specific to the region.
The institution is named after former Prime Minister of India Rajiv Gandhi, a naming convention shared by several government medical colleges and health institutions across different Indian states.
RIMS Kadapa offers the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree at the undergraduate level. The MBBS programme follows the curriculum prescribed by the National Medical Commission (NMC), the statutory body that regulates medical education in India. The duration of the MBBS course, including a compulsory rotating internship, is consistent with the national standard.
At the postgraduate level, the institution offers MD and MS programmes in select clinical and para-clinical specialities, subject to recognition by the National Medical Commission and the affiliated university. Postgraduate training is closely integrated with the attached teaching hospital, ensuring that residents gain substantial clinical exposure across departments.
The college houses departments spanning pre-clinical, para-clinical, and clinical disciplines. Pre-clinical departments include Anatomy, Physiology, and Biochemistry. Para-clinical departments cover Pathology, Microbiology, Pharmacology, Forensic Medicine, and Community Medicine. Clinical departments include General Medicine, General Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Paediatrics, Orthopaedics, Ophthalmology, ENT, Dermatology, Psychiatry, Anaesthesiology, Radiology, and others.
The attached teaching hospital is an integral component of RIMS Kadapa and functions as a government general hospital providing free or subsidised medical care to patients from Kadapa district and surrounding areas. The hospital receives referrals from primary health centres and community health centres across the district, giving medical students and postgraduate residents exposure to a wide spectrum of clinical cases, including conditions prevalent in the semi-arid Rayalaseema geography.
Clinical training is structured through postings in various wards, outpatient departments, operation theatres, labour rooms, and the casualty unit. The hospital also supports diagnostic services including pathology laboratories, radiology, and blood banking facilities.
The RIMS Kadapa campus accommodates the medical college building, the teaching hospital, lecture halls, dissection halls, laboratories, a central library, and residential quarters for students, faculty, and non-teaching staff. Separate hostel facilities are generally provided for male and female students. The campus is connected to the main road network of Kadapa city, facilitating access for patients and staff.
Admission to the MBBS programme at RIMS Kadapa is conducted through the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET-UG), which is the single common entrance examination for undergraduate medical admissions across India. Seats are allocated through the centralised counselling process managed by the Andhra Pradesh state authorities, with a proportion of seats reserved under the All India Quota managed by the Medical Counselling Committee. Reservations for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, and other categories are applied as per Andhra Pradesh state government norms.
Postgraduate admissions are similarly conducted through NEET-PG, followed by state and national counselling rounds.
Students at RIMS Kadapa participate in academic activities, clinical postings, and extracurricular events organised by the college. The institution observes national health days and conducts outreach programmes through its Community Medicine department, including health camps in rural areas of YSR Kadapa District. Student associations and sports activities form part of campus life, consistent with practices at other government medical colleges in Andhra Pradesh.