Ayush declines permission for admission

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The confusion over the guidelines of the Department of Ayush under the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Central Council of Indian Medicines (CCIM), the regulatory body for such courses, has resulted in the denial of permission for admission to graduate courses this academic year in four Ayurveda colleges and one Siddha college in the state.Kerala Self-financing Ayurveda and Siddha Medical College Managements Association president Dr Vijayan Nangelil told Express that all the colleges had got clearance from the CCIM for making admissions. But the Department of Ayush has not taken this into consideration and denied permission, citing minor reasons such as lack of infrastructure, he said. He said that the approval was expected within two days.He also said that the Association would take up the issue with the Department of Ayush through the State Government. The admissions to the ayurveda colleges were scheduled to begin on August 31, during the fourth round of allotment.Vijayan said that the Commissioner for Entrance Examinations (CEE) could make provisional admissions to the courses. But when some colleges denied permission for admission in 2008, the CEE had not initiated provisional admissions. Instead, managements made admissions to 50 percent seats, under the management quota.Finally, when the managements got the sanction from Ayush, there was not enough time for completing the admissions. As a result, the seats in 50 percent Government quota remained vacant, he said.The four ayurveda colleges and one siddha Medical College, which have been denied recognition are P N Panicker Souhruda Ayurveda Medical College, Parakalai, Kanhangad, Parassinikadavu Ayurveda Medical College, Parassinikadavu, Kannur, PNNM Ayurveda Medical College, Shoranur,Vishnu Ayurveda College, Shoranur and Santhigiri Siddha Medical College, Koliyacode.