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| EDITORIAL |
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| Year : 2012 | Volume
: 33
| Issue : 4 | Page : 459-460 |
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Reinvent the system of Education in Ayurveda
Harimohan Chandola
Executive Editor - AYU IPGT and RA, Gujarat Ayurved University, Jamnagar, Gujarat, India
| Date of Web Publication | 12-Apr-2013 |
Correspondence Address:
Harimohan Chandola
Executive Editor - AYU IPGT and RA, Gujarat Ayurved University, Jamnagar, Gujarat
India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/0974-8520.110502
How to cite this article:
Chandola H. Reinvent the system of Education in Ayurveda. AYU 2012;33:459-60 |
Education in the field of Ayurveda is regulated by Central Council of Indian Medicine (CCIM), which came in to the existence by the act of Parliament. The CCIM has already prescribed minimum required standards which are mandatory to all ayurvedic institutions throughout the country for its implementation whether run by State Govt. or Grant in aid Colleges or under private sector. CCIM needs to take initiatives to supervise and scrutiny the existing system of education in Ayurveda which is presently in practice at various Ayurvedic Institutions since CCIM is a regulatory body accountable for maintaining the academic standard. Everywhere minimum 75% attendance is must in each subject for appearing in the examination. But what is happening at ground level? In many of the Institutions record of attendance is maintained only on paper in the attendance register. There is a need to keep the record of part of syllabus covered. The Head of the Institution should get regular feedback from the students about the teachers and their teaching pattern.
 Teaching Methodology and Teaching Technology | |  |
Teaching methodology and Teaching Technology may be the other area where attention is needed. There is a need for integration between tradition and technology. Ayurvedic Institutions should install Multi Media Projector in each BAMS class room and every departmental seminar room in post-graduate section. Teachers may prepare computerized lecture for effective teaching with its applied aspect for better understanding of the subject. It is praiseworthy that Gujarat Ayurved University (GAU) has resolved to identify subject experts from the state of Gujarat to prepare CDs of various subjects to use as a teaching tool to circulate in Ayurvedic Colleges affiliated to GAU with a view to make academic foundation of students strong at under graduation level. Laboratory research and field research are two important components. Students belonging to the specialty of Roga Nidana and Vikriti Vijnana should come forward and handle laboratory investigations by themselves in Pathology and Bio-Chemistry lab. Similarly students of Panchakarma specialty should perform personally various Panchakarma procedures on patients in Panchakarma theatre. Conduction of the seminar at monthly interval in under graduate section and weekly interval in post-graduate section should be a regular practice in every Ayurvedic Institution. It will help in overall personality development of the student to make him, self-sufficient and confident.
| Reforms in Examination | | |
Some mechanism is needed to be evolved for assessment of students at a regular interval as in semester system based examination. The knowledge of the student should be assessed by preparing comprehensive question papers covering the entire syllabus as has been observed in many universities like Dr. S. Radhakrishnan Rajasthan Ayurved University, Jodhpur; Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Karnataka, Bangalore; Dr. N. T. R. University of Health Sciences, A. P., Vijayawada by framing sufficient short questions, long questions and essays. The questions may be prepared in such a way so that there is no scope for copying answer by the student, which is a burning problem observed in many Institutions. To make transparency in the evaluation process, decoding method can be adopted by putting dummy numbers as has been in practice at GAU at under graduate and post-graduate level. Valuation at post-graduate level in Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Karnataka is praiseworthy, where one answer book is checked separately by all four examiners and its mean is counted for final marking. Further, if there is any significant difference on valuation between examiners then marking is further filtered in very transparent manner to make justice to student.
The CCIM may look into the matter to make uniformity in all institutions whether marks are to be given or not at post-graduate level. In some Institutions marks are given in the figures whereas in some institutions 'Satisfactory' and 'Unsatisfactory' remarks are given. In Jamnagar based GAU, on marking basis, certain grades are given like 'Out Standing'(75-100%), 'Very good'(65-74%), 'Good'(55-64%), 'Average'(45-54%) and Fail (below 45%). There is a need to make parity between institution's valuation system and CCIM being authoritative body may issue directives to various Universities and make sure that its guidelines are followed in letter and spirit. Many Universities including GAU arrange for central valuation. On the other hand, many stories can be heard where student approaches the examiner to encourage corrupt practices.
| Research Orientation | | |
Newly admitted students to BAMS course have rich computer knowledge to access research information through various web-sites. They need inspiration to have research orientation at under graduate level. Not inspired by their guide many of the post-graduate scholars do not get the opportunity to publish their study in peer reviewed journal. They realize this short coming when they face interview before the Staff Selection Committee. The publication of research paper in a reputed indexed/peer reviewed journal certainly makes the difference and creates an impression before the Experts. But publication should be original and quality based and not merely increasing the quantity of papers. Many of the Institutions are not aware that the constitution of Institutional Ethics Committee (IEC) as per Indian Council of Medical Research guidelines is mandatory and IEC clearance is must for any clinical and experimental study. Department of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH), Government of India has already taken initiatives in this direction. These studies should be registered under Clinical Trial Registry of India.
Many Head of the Institutions are not sensitive to cater the need of the Journals to College library for teachers and students. These colleges are symbolizing with industry just for milking the money without maintaining any academic standards or required infrastructure. It is admirable that CCIM and the Department of AYUSH, Govt. of India has taken a serious note of this situation and not granted permission for admissions due to lack of facilities and infrastructure, less teaching staff and not having required hospital bed occupancy.
| Internal Assessment of Student during Post-Graduation | | |
During the post-graduation course the examination are conducted only twice, i.e., at the end of 1 st year (preliminary course) and later at the end of final year. No university examination is conducted during 2 nd year of the study course. Here, internal assessment is in practice in many universities including GAU. It is based on certain points like punctuality in classes and hospital activities (OPD, IPD and Night duties); active participation in departmental activities (Seminar, Clinical Case Study presentation and Conceptual studies); partial completion of thesis work (Development of research proforma, Review of literature, Drug review, Material and Methods, Pharmacognostical study, Analytical study, etc.); Quarterly progress report of the student (registration of thesis patients, Drug consumption); presence and active participation in institutional and departmental seminars. The students should be encouraged for participation in regional, national and international seminars, health camps and publication of papers in reputed journals, etc.
The CCIM is suggested to initiate discussion by involving top Ayurvedic teaching institutions in the country, supported by experts from allied sciences, research organizations like Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences, Siddha System and Unani Medicine, Indian Institute of Management (IIM), and experts from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) to identify the lacunae present in the system of education, research and practice and then find out the remedy to fill up those lacunae. IITs and IIMs are considered as a bench mark in the field of education in India and abroad. They may contribute significantly in reinventing our educational system by introducing latest teaching technology and examination methodology for better assessment.
Efforts of CCIM should be lauded for restructuring the graduate and post-graduate syllabus during the workshop organized at Bangalore and Jamnagar in recent years. Subsequent organization of the conference at CCIM headquarters in January, 2013 with the presence of about 40 Vice Chancellors is also a step in the right direction. Hon'ble Secretary, AYUSH, Government of India had addressed the gathering with firm objective to promote and propagate Ayurveda globally with international acceptance. Increase in number of fellowship for foreign students to learn Ayurveda also shows the sincerity of the government.
Eminent scientist, better known as Missile Man, Bharat Ratna Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam who lives in our heart as "Peoples President" has been very popular due to his proximity with the students and children by keeping his channels of communication opened to all. The Hon'ble President - CCIM is requested to take inspiration from the 'Missile Man' and take the lead by adopting a proactive approach to eradicate the cancer of corruption : academic and financial existing in many of the Ayurvedic institutions with the ultimate objective to uphold the glory of this ancient science of life and make the seat of Ayurveda at par with ancient Takshashila and Nalanda which will pave the way to make Ayurveda - Medicine of the Millennium.
The present issue starts with an important special report on status of Indian medicine and folk healing submitted to Dept. of AYUSH by Former Secretary, Govt. of India, Madam Shailaja Chandra. The report summarizes the steps to be taken to uplift the status of Indian systems of medicine across the globe. Another article by Dr. Gopal Basisht is a thought provoking article and an ideal example about how Ayurveda and Symbio health can contribute to modern society by working upon utilization of its fundamental principles. Further the issue is enriched with articles on important topics like implications of anesthesia in daily practice, substituting rare drugs and methodology, Dyslexia, Alzheimer's disease, etc. In and all, this issue is enriched with total twenty articles with one special article, five review articles, one case study, eight clinical research articles, three pharmaceutical researches and two pharmacological researches. It is important to note that the issue focuses on researches from all areas of Ayurveda. We hope this issue will enlighten the minds of aspirants of Ayurveda towards purity of knowledge.
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