Bhubaneswar, Aug. 13: The delay by OJEE authorities in notifying counselling dates for aspirants of bachelor of homoeopathic medicine & surgery (BHMS) and bachelor of ayurvedic medicine and surgery (BAMS) courses has left aspiring students confused.

The career of about 2,000 candidates remains uncertain as neither the OJEE authorities nor any of the ayurvedic and homeopathy colleges have come out with information on admission.

“We took the OJEE and have got our ranks. However, neither the OJEE has notified any date for counselling nor are the colleges admitting students. In the absence of any clarity, many students are taking admissions in other courses,” said Sidhharth Sadangi, a student.

Earlier in July, the Central Council of Homeopathy (CCH), the apex body regulating homeopathy colleges in the country, had cancelled admission of students in four institutions in the state. The institutions included Abhin Chandra Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Bhubaneswar, Utkalmani Homoeopathic Medical College & Hospital, Rourkela, Biju Pattnaik Homoeopathic Medical College, Berhampur and Odisha Medical College of Homoeopathy & Research, Sambalpur. Each of these colleges can admit 25 students each.

The CHH took the decision as it felt that the colleges lacked adequate faculty. Similarly, the health and family welfare department had cancelled admissions to the ayurvedic college citing lack of infrastructure.

There are three government medical colleges in the state — Gopabandhu Ayurveda Mahavidyalaya, Puri, Kaviraj Ananta Tripathy Sharma Ayurved College, Akuspur, and Government Ayurveda College, Balangir. Each of these colleges has an intake capacity of 30. While the college in Puri was given permission, the two other colleges were denied the same.

Although the matter has been resolved and the Centre in a letter to the state government has allowed admissions in all the colleges, the OJEE authorities are yet to bring out any notification regarding admission. The developments had also led to confusion among the OJEE officials.

However, the Ayush department of the government said the matter had been sorted out. “We have already received a fresh communication from the Centre permitting admissions to all the ayurvedic and homeopathic colleges in the state. This will be communicated to the OJEE very soon,” said Srikant Prushty, director Ayush.

OJEE secretary Priyabrata Sahoo said:

“We will soon announce the counselling dates and will try to complete the process by August so that classes can begin by next month.”