Shortage of teachers in govt ayurveda medical colleges hits ISM education in Telangana
The vacancies of teaching faculties in the two government ayurveda medical colleges in the state of Telangana still remain vacant despite pressures from association of ayurveda doctors and educational experts on the government wanting appointment of regular faculties.
According to ayurveda community, the education on Indian system of medicines (ISM) has totally collapsed in the state due to shortage of regular faculties.
Viswa Ayurveda Parishad (VAP), an organisation of traditional ayurveda doctors in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, wanted the health ministry and the department of ayush to immediately fill up the vacant posts of lecturers (Asst. Professors) in the two medical institutions, Dr. BRK government ayurveda medical college at Erragada in Hyderabad and AL government ayurveda medical college at Warangal.
According to Dr. P Premanand Rao, president of the VAP in Telangana, insufficiency of faculties was the major hurdle found by the National Commission for Indian System of Medicines (NCISM) for the denial of admissions to the institutions, but the government appointed a few contract lecturers for a period six months to solve the situation, but the period is expiring on January 31. The association has wanted the government to extend the period of the contract lecturers till regular faculties are appointed by the state public service commission (TSPC). He said the government has issued a notification asking the TSPC to recruit regular staff for the two institutions, but the PSC is lagging.
Talking to Pharmabiz, Dr. Premanand from Hyderabad said both the institutions are facing the same situation. In Warangal medical college, there are approximately 35 lecturer (Asst Professors) posts lying vacant for the last several years, and in Hyderabad college the number comes around 25. A lot of qualified and experienced doctors are in the ayurveda field, but the state government is not utilizing their caliber and potential for the welfare of the society.
The AL ayurveda medical college at Warangal is the oldest government ayurveda medical institution in the whole of Andhra Pradesh, but it still has not started a post graduate program in ayurveda although students, teachers and parents are continuously demanding it. Likewise, the demand for increase in the intake for graduate course, BAMS, from 50 numbers to 100 has also not been warranted by the national commission. VAP has on several occasions apprised the government that a PG program is essential in this college and the government should take the necessary steps to realize it.
Pointing to a pathetic situation of the contract lecturers, Dr. Premanand said those faculties who are working on contract basis are getting remuneration less than the NHM doctors are availing. The lecturers are appointed on a monthly salary of Rs. 35,000 only, but the basic pay scale of lecturers is Rs 65000. VAP has wanted the government to equate their salaries with those of the permanent teaching faculties.
“We are not demanding the full salary to the contract faculties, but the basic pay of Rs.65000 should be given to them. It is a humanitarian approach we expect from the government. Currently, they are getting less than the amount drawn by a national health mission doctor”, he said by adding that the only one government ayurveda medical college in Andhra Pradesh, situated in Vijayawada, is also facing the same problem.
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