Two Ayurvedic diploma courses will be introduced in the Mother Teresa PG and Research Institute of Health Sciences, Pondicherry from this academic year. The courses would be for Diploma in Ayurvedic Pharmacy and Diploma in Ayurvedic Nursing-cum-Panchakarma Therapy.

College of Pharmacy in the Institute is starting the course of Ayurvedic Pharmacy and School of Nursing is conducting the Ayurvedic Nursing-cum-Panchakarma course, college sources said.

Mother Teresa Institute is the first Institute to start the alternative Para-medical courses in Pondicherry. The courses would be started in July and the duration of both the courses will be two years. Admissions and fee structure will be finalized as per government rules. According to sources, about 40 students would be admitted to the courses. However, the institute will ask the government to give permission for more seats. The Institute has adequate facilities for starting these two courses.

For the course of Diploma in Ayurvedic Pharmacy, the College of Pharmacy will follow the syllabus of Gujarat Ayurvedic University, the only one Ayurvedic University in India. The syllabus will include: basic anatomy, physiology, properties of medicine, manufacturing process, pharmacology and dispensing practice.

For the course of Nursing-cum-Panchakarma Therapy, the School of nursing in the Institute is preparing a separate syllabus on the basis of the syllabus of Ayurveda Institute in Bangalore. Those who pass the courses will have ample chances of employment in various fields in the ISM sector. The opportunities for the diploma holders of Ayurvedic pharmacy include Pharmacists in Ayurveda and Siddha Hospitals, dispensaries, Community Health Centres, Public Health Centres and other government hospitals and medicinal supply divisions. In the private sector, they can work as pharmacists. They can also work in manufacturing companies. In Chennai alone, more than 200 Siddha pharmacies are functioning.

Likewise, the diploma holders of Ayurvedic Nursing-cum-Panchakarma Therapy would also have career scopes in government and private sectors in the state at present. For both the course, basic qualification for admission is Plus Two with Physics, Chemistry and Biology.