Uncertainty looms large on lone govt ayurvedic college of Punjab
Experts express concern over shortage of faculty, poor response to indoor and outpatient departments (OPD), lack of medicines, poor condition of pharmacy and absence of basic amenities in hostels
Uncertainty looms large on the future of Government Ayurvedic College, Patiala, after an expert team from the university it is affiliated to expressed concern over poor medical infrastructure at the 65-year-old institution.
Running undergraduate courses, it is the only government ayurvedic college in the state.Nearly 120 students are enrolled in different batches of the bachelor of ayurveda, medicine and surgery (BAMS) course.
The two-member expert team from Guru Ravidas Ayurvedic University, Hoshiarpur, visited the college to take stock of the facilities before taking a final decision over continuing with the affiliation to the college.
The experts expressed concern over the shortage of faculty, poor response to its indoor and outpatient department (OPD), lack of medicines, poor condition of pharmacy and absence of basic amenities in hostels.
Affiliated to Hoshiarpur varsity since 2011
The college was earlier affiliated to the Baba Farid University of Health Science, Faridkot, from 1999 to 2011, but is affiliated with the ayurvedic university since 2011.
Situated a few hundred metres from the residence of Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh and health and medical education and research minister Brahm Mohindra, the college is in a shambles.
“The college-cum-hospital is in a deplorable condition. It was once considered one of the premier ayurvedic institutions in North India, but now is in a complete mess,” said Vijayant Bhardwaj, one of the members of the expert team.
Has 24 teachers against required 30; 6 ineligible
He said against requirement of 30 faculty members, the college has 24 of whom six were found “ineligible” as per the Central Council of Indian Medicine (CCIM) norms. They found that due to the shortage of staff, hardly any patients register in the indoor-patient department and the OPD,” the experts found.
“We will submit a report to the university which will take final call giving further affiliation to the college. We are not satisfied with the facilities at the college,” Bhardwaj said.
Even the ayurvedic pharmacy is non-functional for the past several years, he said.
Denied to hold admissions for 3 years
In 2011, 2012 and 2013, the Union health ministry and the department of AYUSH had denied permission to the college to hold admissions in both undergraduate and postgraduate courses over anomalies found in the eligibility of teachers, shortage of beds and less intake of patients.
It was in 2014 that the college was allowed to admit students in undergraduate courses.
