Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, June 11: The uncertainty looms large over the starting of first batch of BAMS Degree Courses and BUMS Degree courses in much talked about Ayurvedic College Akhnoor in Jammu region and Unani Medical College Ganderbal in Kashmir, the constructions for which were announced way back in 2009 by the then Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad.
Though the authorities had set a target of starting BAMS and BUMS degree courses in the two professional Colleges including Ayurvedic College of Jammu and Unani Medical College of Srinagar by academic session of 2014-15 but they will get further delayed as the two colleges were await permission from Central Council for Indian Medicines and Government of India, official sources said.
Sources said besides starting of degree courses of BAMS and BUMS, the colleges have to fulfill many more formalities which include grant of affiliation from University and sanction of posts.
Sources said that the Directorate of AYUSH, State Government has approached both Centre Council of Indian Medicines as well as GoI for grant of recognition to Ayurvedic College of Jammu which is under construction in Akhnoor area and Unani Medical College of Kashmir which is also under construction in Ganderbal district of Valley and the same is awaited.
Besides, the AYUSH has also approached the concerned universities both in Kashmir Valley and Jammu for grant of affiliation to the Unani Medical College Ganderbal in Kashmir Valley and Ayurvedic Medical College Akhnoor in Jammu region and so far the two universities have not taken any decision in this regard.
Sources said that the infrastructure is complete but for starting the Degree courses of BAMS and BUMS certain formalities and requirements are to be fulfilled which have not been done so far.
Moreover for starting the degree courses in the two colleges it needs a staff strength of 500 people including professors, readers, para medical staff etc and that has not been sanctioned yet by the Government.
The two colleges are to be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 58 crore approximately. Out of which Rs 32 core were incurred on Unani Medical College Ganderbal in Kashmir Valley and Rs 26 crore on Government Ayurvedic College Akhnoor in Jammu region, sources said.
About 40 to 60 students are to be granted admission in first instance, sources said, adding the admission will however get delayed due to non-completion of certain formalities.
Sources said though 70 percent work of the Ayurvedic College Jammu is complete but Construction of Ayurvedic Hospital at Akhnoor was in its initial stage. Expressing doubts over the intensions of Government in speedy completion of two colleges in the State, sources said it announced five new Medical Colleges in the State this year and the nodal officers for the same were appointed immediately after their announcement while there has been constant delay in commissioning of the Ayurvedic and Unani colleges in the State announced much earlier.
When contacted Director, ISM, Dr Kabir said grant of admission is beyond control of Directorate and it can’t do any thing unless and until formal permission is granted by Central Council for Indian Medicines and GoI and posts are sanctioned by State Government for running the two colleges.
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