Despite Warnings To Streamline Faculty, Govt Remains Indifferent; Blow To UG Students. The postgraduate programme at the Government Nizamia Tibbi College has been scrapped for the current academic year by the Central Council of Indian Medicine (CCIM) for glaring irregularities in staff management. The decision of the body that heads the Indian System of Medicine has cast a shadow on the career of several MD aspirants who had applied and prepared for the examination when the entrance test was suddenly cancelled. The college till last year had 36 PG seats on offer. 

   The faculty at this oldest and biggest Unani college in the country attributed the state of affairs to the state government’s apathy towards Unani medicine. They said that the complete revocation of PG programme at the state-run college this academic year is shocking, but an expected one. For, a chunk of the faculty posts have been lying vacant for several years now. 

   Sources at this only Unani college in the city said that CCIM has been pointing out the inadequacies for the last three consecutive years and had recommended suspension of the course in 2010-11 itself, but the central government intervened and directed the state government to cover up the deficiencies. However, the state government’s indifference continued even this year. 

   Surprisingly, 11 posts out of the total 14 posts of professor and head of the department are lying vacant in the under graduation programme. Among the three professors, one will retire next month. Furthermore, in post graduation, eight posts of professors, senior lecturers and readers are lying vacant in three departments. Lecturers said that CCIM is asking for regular faculty but in two departments (out of total of five) in the PG programme, the entire faculty has been appointed on contract basis. 

   Students say that if the same attitude of the government continues, there is a possibility of the PG programme getting scrapped even next year. “CCIM should have recommended for PG at least in the three departments including Pharmacology, General Medicine and OBG that have regular faculty and fulfilled all the conditions. Just because of the two new departments which have contract faculty, all the seats were withheld,” said Mohammed Asad Mohiuddin, a UG final year student . 

   The existing PG students, however, are not affected by the decision. “The aspirants are the ones who have lost one year and it is a huge loss,” said Viquar, a final year PG student. He added that this is the only college in the state that offers PG course in Unani medicine.
   Syed Arifuddin, principal of the college, said that it has been a decade since the government banned regular appointments but CCIM is insisting on regular faculty. “We are expecting CCIM inspection next month,” said Arifuddin. He added that he was hopeful of getting CCIM approval for running the course in 2012-13.