Punjab withdraws management, NRI quota from AYUSH colleges

Following the Union government’s directions, Punjab has withdrawn management and NRI quota for undergraduate courses in private Ayush (Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy) colleges.

Besides, all 800 seats, both in private and government colleges, will be filled through the National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET). Earlier, admissions were held through statewide entrance test conducted by Hoshiarpur-based Guru Ravidas Ayurved University.

Director, research and medical education, Dr Sujata Sharma said these changes have been made after Centre’s decision to bring AYUSH system of medicine under NEET, besides making education more affordable.

“The new fee structure is being worked out after withdrawal of management and NRI quota seats that had higher fee than government seats,” she said.

TO IMPACT PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS

Punjab has just one government-run ayurvedic college and 15 are private where 50% quota fixed for management seats was allotted to students at Rs 1.20 lakh per annum and Rs 80,000 in case of a government quota seat. Besides, on 15% NRI quota seats, a student was charged Rs 2.4 lakh per year.

Punjab also has four private homeopathic colleges and a unani college.

Principal of Ludhiana-based Guru Nanak Ayurvedic Medical College and Research Institute Dr YN Sharma said the decision would hit them financially since the management and NRI quota seats were their only source to collect funds for better facilities. “The state should take a call on deciding our fee structure since it will directly affect our working and facilities to students,” he said

Other colleges argue that the state government had not revised the fee for AYUSH courses for the last five years whereas the fee for MBBS and MD courses was revised twice during that period.

When contacted, registrar of Guru Ravidas Ayurved University Jatinder Garg said: “The state government has sought our opinion on the new fee structure. We will respond by Monday.