SAMBALPUR: With the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) declining to recognise the MSc Medical Physics course offered by Sambalpur University, the future of as many as 37 students has been pushed to uncertainty.
Vice Chancellor of Sambalpur University Deepak Behera confirmed that AERB has communicated that it would not give recognition to the MSc Medical Physics course. ‘However, we would appeal to AERB authorities to reconsider their decision,” he said.
Behera said an alternative option has been planned for the students. “We are planning to award MSc in Physics to students, who have taken admission in the MSc Medical Physics course and take steps for completion of the course on time. We will hold discussions with the students in this regard,” he said.
A student of MSc Medical Physics, Ajit Kumar Mallik said the course does not carry any weight without the recognition of AERB. Students aspiring to work as medical physicists enrol in the course. “However, they will not be eligible to work as medical physicists as the course does not have the recognition of AERB,” he said.
The MSc Medical Physics course was introduced in the university in 2017 in self-financing mode. The duration of course is two years along with one year of internship. At present, 26 students are admitted into the first two batches and 11 more have joined in the third batch.