KANNIYAKUMARI: The intake of students in Government Ayurveda Medical College and Hospital (GAMCH) in Kottar, Nagercoil, in the coming academic year (2025-26) may come down, if the college continues to function with its current faculty strength. An inspection by the central National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM) is in the offing which may take action in this regard, as at present the student-faculty ratio in the college is not as per the legal norms.
According to NCISM guidelines, there should be 36 teaching faculty members in the medical college. However, the norm was relaxed – only for this year (to have 30 faculty members, plus 10% grace on it, which comes to 27). But, at present, the college has only 26 teaching faculty members, which may go against the college during the inspection by NCISM, which is the authority determining the number of seats in the UG course (BAMS – Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery).
An official from the Indian Medicine and Homeopathy Department told TNIE that steps are being taken to appoint a faculty member soon.
Former health minister and Kanniyakumari MLA N Thalavai Sundaram urged the state government to appoint the required faculty members in the college.
A S Sankara Pandian, a social activist, said as the college has been found wanting on the mandated faculty strength, it may take a toll on the intake of students in the coming academic year. “The state government should take measures to address this issue and save the only government ayurveda college in the state,” he added.
Students Federation of India district president M B Natheer Ahamed alleged that the state has not given importance to this ayurveda college, unlike the Kanniyakumari government medical college hospital (allopathy). Not just faculty members, the ayurveda college also lacks adequate number of lab assistants and other infrastructure facilities, he added.