A new stand-alone University exclusively for Ayurveda and its related branches seems to be on the anvil, as proposed by officials from the Maharashtra Council of Indian Medicine (MCIM), a statutory body under the Central Council of Indian Medicine (CCIM), New Delhi established to prescribe minimum standards of education in the fields of Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha.

As per details available from the office of the MCIM, a task committee under the chairmanship of the Minister of State for Health, Shri Digvijay Khanvilkar, Secretary of State for Medical Education and Drugs, Shri G S Gill, Chairman of CCIM, Shri Ram Sharma and Vice President of CCIM, Shri Shivkaran Sharma Chhangani, has been instigated to supposedly look into the proposal and materialize the same within a year or two.

According to Dr. Subhash Marlewar, Registrar, Maharashtra Council of Indian Medicine, and who has been instrumental in persisting the ministry to pursue the project, the committee is scheduled to meet within a week or two to shortlist the location where the University would be set up in the event of getting final clearance, and also on the different specializations to be allowed.

"We would need around 5 acres of land for the huge structure which will cost the state in excess of Rs 50 crores. While the place is yet being finalized the two most probable choices are at New Bombay or at Nagpur, whichever works out quicker", asserted Dr. Warlekar.

According to him, the University that would have an initial intake capacity of close to 3000 seats would be offering degree and post-graduate degrees in the field of ayurvedic surgery, ayurvedic gynaecology, pharmacology and basic principles among the others.

Currently there are 56 Ayurvedic colleges in the State of Maharashtra known to churn out more than 1500 students every year. All of these colleges are affiliated to the Maharashtra Arogya Vidyan Vidyapeeth, Nagpur. But with the completion of the project, all the colleges would be later affiliated under the new University, said Dr Warlekar.

Assuring for a need to have a separate University for the State, Dr Warlekar said that the sole reason for pursuing the project was due to non-recognition of Ayurveda in the country. "Early last year, the centre had proposed steps for bringing an upliftment in the Indian system of medicine, but very little has been done after that. Apart from a few centers being built here and there nothing much was being done to promote the benefits of this branch of science. For a country where maximum number of people refer to Ayurveda for treatment, it is a pity that this branch of science still does not receive the credit it deserves," argues Dr Warlekar.

According to him, the commissioning of the University with exclusivity for Ayurveda would compel more students to opt for this field and at the same time encourage practitioners around the state to promote awareness and benefits of this branch of science to the people.