2 years on, ayurved varsity awaits vice-chancellor

Punjab medical education minister Dr Balbir Singh says the government could’t find eligible candidates. A regular vice-chancellor will be appointed soon, he adds.

The Punjab government has failed to appoint a regular vice-chancellor (VC) for Guru Ravidas Ayurved University in Hoshiarpur since 2022. Instead, the government has given the additional charge of the VC position to IAS officer Rahul Gupta.

Officials from the medical education department attribute the delay in appointment to the Union government’s failure to nominate a member to the five-member selection committee.

The VC’s post was advertised in 2022. In August last year, the director of research and medical education (DRME) again invited applications for the position. Officials from the medical education department attributed the delay in appointment to the Union government’s failure to nominate a member to the five-member selection committee.

A DRME official stated, “Since all five members of the selection committee could not be appointed, interviews for the post could not be held due to the lack of required quorum.”

In 2023, the Punjab government handed over the administrative control of the Government Ayurvedic College, Government Ayurvedic Pharmacy and Store, and Government Ayurvedic Hospital, all in Patiala, to Guru Ravidas Ayurved University.

Previously, the university was responsible only for awarding degrees to the students of government and private ayurved colleges in the state. The Government Ayurvedic College in Patiala is the only government-run ayurveda college in Punjab.

Despite the transfer of key ayurvedic institutions to the university, the government has not appointed a regular VC. This has exacerbated issues at the Government Ayurvedic College in Patiala where students have been protesting over “shortage of faculty and inadequate hostel amenities”. Last year, the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM) reduced the number of seats for bachelor’s and master’s courses at the college due to severe staff shortage.

Punjab medical education minister Dr Balbir Singh stated, “We advertised the post twice but did not find eligible candidates. The previous government’s negligence left the teaching cadre weak. No suitable candidates from within the state or from other states have come forward. We are aware of the issue and will appoint a regular VC soon.”