Berhampur, Oct. 19: The Ayush ministry of the Union government has directed the state-run Biju Patnaik Homoeopathic Medical College here not to admit students for the 2016-17 academic session citing lack of infrastructure and shortage of faculty and non-teaching staff.
The college offers a five-year undergraduate course in homeopathic medicine & surgery. Twenty-five students are enrolled in the course every year.
Anshiman Sharma, deputy secretary of the Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (Ayush) ministry, in a letter dated October 10, asked the college authority not to go for fresh admission during 2016-17.
The letter states: "The Biju Patnaik Homoeopathic Medical College has failed to fulfil the minimum standard requirement in infrastructure development, classroom education and training. The college must fulfil all the norms and conditions till December this year. Or else, admission for the year 2017-18 would also not be allowed."
The ministry issued the letter after the Central Council of Homoeopathy, the ministry's statutory body had inspected the college facilities on June 27. The 47-year-old college affiliated to the Berhampur University and is renowned for its homoeopathy course.
The ministry also mentioned that the college had no regular professors in any department except one guest faculty. Five readers' posts in the departments of anatomy, pharmacy, meteria medica, community medicine and repartery are also vacant. There are no regular lectures in any departments except anatomy. There are no official rooms for the superintendent, staff nurse, dressing room, doctor's duty room, nursing duty room, pathology, operation theatre, labour room, physiotherapy, kitchen and store room. The X-Ray and ECG machines are also non-functioning.
When contacted, principal of the institute, Nibedita Pradhan said: "We had apprised the state government about the situation earlier. We will discuss the issue with our staff and request the state government to take immediate measures and resolve the issue."
Following the communication from the ministry, students called for a strike from October 21.
