Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Nov 12: Though State Government has decided to open the Ayurvedic Medical College in the present building of Ayurvedic Hospital at Indira Chowk here till the newly constructed buildings of college and Hospital at Akhnoor are completed in all respects, the lack of facilities and infrastructure at Ayurvedic Hospital may create hurdles in the smooth functioning of the college in near future.
The State Government in its recent decision had decided to re-open the Ayurvedic College in Jammu after a gap of 42 years, which was closed way back in 1975, without giving proper thought to the guidelines and norms prescribed by the Centre Council of Indian Medicines (CCIM) in this regard.
According to sources, the violation of CCIM norms has been a cause of grave concern among the practioners of Ayurveda in the State.
Sources said though the process for starting the teaching of the first batch has been started from Academic Session 2017-2018 for which Health and Medical Education Department has issued an order vide number 471-HME of 2017 dated 01-09-2017 for deployment of teaching / non teaching staff to the Government Ayurvedic Medical College Jammu but the said order is in total violation of CCIM regulation of 2016, according to which the age for the post of Assistant Professor or lecturer at that time of first appointment should not exceed 45 years and no teaching or research experience is required. But the Order No 471-HME of 2017 issued by the ISM in this regard is in gross violation of CCIM norms as some doctors above the age of 45 have been selected against the posts of Assistant Professors, sources added.
Moreover, as per the CCIM guidelines the Hospital should have minimum eight OPD clinics including Swaasthavritta Evam Yoga and Aatyaik (emergency), but the Government order ignored this important subject creating suspicion about its seriousness in running the College as it created Wellness Centre which is non existing Department as per the latest regulations of CCIM issued in 2016.
Sources said the authorities in violation of the rules have ignored the eligible candidate for the post who has the required degrees for the same. Moreover as per the CCIM regulations a consultant should attend OPD, IPD but the College authorities have decided to start eight OPDs including the Wellness Centre which is a non existing Department while the emergency duties have been given to a non clinical teacher in the OPD as per the duty roster.
Besides, the charge of Principal has also been given to Principal of Government Medical College Jammu who is an allopathic doctor and has nothing to do with the Ayurvedic Science. As per the CCIM norms, the Principal or Dean of Hospital should possess the same qualification which are possessed by the Professor of the Hospital.
The rules prescribed that for the post of Professor there should be a total experience of 10 years in concerned subject or five years teaching experience as Associate Professor (Reader) in concerned subject or total 10 years research experience in regular service in Research Councils of Central Government, State Government, Union Territory, University or National Institutions with not less than three papers published in a recognized journal.
Sources while questioning the manner in which the Government is going to open the Ayurvedic College said that before the start of Ayurvedic College, the Department of Health and Medical Education was supposed to get the posts of teaching faculty as well as other advertised through Public Service Commission and State Services Recruitment Board as has been done in case of new Medical Colleges being opened in the State.
Moreover, when the Government was not in hurry to open the Ayurvedic College in last 42 years what forced it to start the college from the Indira Chowk Ayurvedic Hospital when the new college and hospital building is being constructed at Akhnoor.
Sources said that Indian System of Medicines should have instead concentrated on speedy construction of College building and Hospital at Akhnnor the work on which has been started way back in 2011. But due to failure of releasing funds by ISM to Housing Board which has been entrusted the construction the College and Hospital building could not be completed in last seven years.
The ISM has now released the funds to constructing agency which has set a deadline to complete the remaining construction work up to December 2018, sources said.
However, when contacted, Dr Narinder Sharma, Nodal Officer of the College said that it is the temporary phase to start the functioning of the college and after the College is shifted to Akhnoor in near future the posts will be got advertised through PSC as per the CCIM norms.
Sources while quoting the example of the Dental College Jammu said that same problem existed there and the students of earlier batches had to come to roads for the recognition of their degrees as Dental Council of India was not ready to recognize the same as the college was not fulfilling the norms and regulations set up by it.
Moreover the decision of the State Government is totally in contravention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who during the celebration of Ayurveda Day stressed on maintaining the standard of ISM instead of taking this system of medicine casually.
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