In a major initiative, the Jammu and Kashmir Government has decided to revive the Government Ayurvedic College at Jammu after more than four decades. Keeping in view the increasing popularity and demand of AYUSH treatment in the country as well in State, the Government has decided to give appropriate recognition to this vital area of traditional healthcare, and the academic activities will be started from the current session with 50 BAMS seats.This was disclosed by the Minister for Health and Medical Education, Bali Bhagat today at a high level meeting convened at Jammu to discuss the modalities for starting the first batch of BAMS Course in Government Ayurvedic College.Commissioner/Secretary Health and Medical Education, Dr. Pawan Kotwal, Secretary (Technical) and Director General, ISM, Dr. Abdul Kabir Dar, Mission Director, NHM, Dr. Mohan Singh, Director Health Services, Jammu, Dr. Gurjeet Singh, Director, Finance, H&ME, Joint Director, Planning, H&ME Department were present in the meeting.All important issues relating to the revival of Aurvedic College vis-à-vis arrangements of faculty, selection of candidates by the BOPEE, infrastructural facilities, hostel etc were discussed in detail. The Minister directed the Commissioner/Secretary Health & Medical Education and Director General, ISM to finalize all the formalities and clear bottlenecks within a shortest possible time to ensure starting first batch of BAMS from this current session.
The Minister further informed that he is scheduled to meet the Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Jai Prakash Nadda and high level functionaries of AYUSH Ministry on August 2, 2017 at New Delhi to discuss the revival of the College and all related issues and support of the union ministry whatever required. He said that State Government is so keen to see the Ayurvedic College Jammu to start its functioning from the current session.Meanwhile, the Director General, ISM, Dr. Abdul Kabir Dar has also met the concerned officials in the AYUSH ministry a couple of days ago and discussed the issue of revival of the college. He gave detailed feed-back of his discussion with the concerned to the Minister in the meeting.
Pertinently, the Government Ayurvedic College, Jammu stopped its functioning in the year 1981 for unknown reasons and since then no batch was registered. After assuming the charge of the Health Ministry, Bali Bhagat has vigorously taken up the issue for re-establishment of Ayurvedic College, Jammu. A number of deputations from across the State also met him from time to time for reviving the College as a lot of aspirants of BAMS are going outside the State for acquiring their degrees. It was also informed that the matter with regard to the selection of 50 candidates has also been taken up with the BOPEE authorities for starting of 1st Batch of BAMS Course in this College from the current session.