PGI’s Project Sarathi goes national: Youth-led initiative adopted by 1,467 hospitals

Project Sarathi, the student volunteer-driven hospital navigation initiative, was first introduced by PGIMER on May 5, 2024. With endorsement from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, the initiative is now being adopted in 1,467 hospitals across 34 states and Union Territories under the “Seva Se Seekhen – Experiential Learning Programme (ELP)” listed on the MyBharat portal.

The programme aims at assisting patients and visitors in navigating hospital systems. With its growing footprint, Project Sarathi is being hailed as a model for combining youth engagement with public service in the healthcare sector.

Director PGIMER, Prof Vivek Lal, described the project as a “unique blend of healthcare facilitation and youth empowerment,” noting that over 50,000 hours of volunteer service have already been logged at PGIMER alone. The initiative, he said, has significantly improved patient satisfaction, reduced confusion and wait times, and eased the burden on hospital staff.

So far, the ELP has been fully implemented in 551 hospitals between September 17, 2024, and May 31, 2025. An additional 95 hospitals currently run the programme, with 81 designated as permanent ELP sites. A total of 6,444 students have taken part nationwide, while onboarding and training efforts are ongoing in the remaining 821 hospitals.

Deputy Director (Administration) of PGIMER, Pankaj Rai, IAS, provided further insight into the programme's origins and success. “What started as a local response to growing demand for hospital navigators has evolved into a nationwide model. The impact at PGIMER has been measurable: average patient wait time dropped from 4.2 to 2.8 hours, patient satisfaction has improved, and hospital staff can focus better on clinical duties thanks to the students’ support.”

PGIMER’s implementation of Project Sarathi involved 816 students from 18 academic institutions who collectively contributed over 50,340 service hours.