The Kerala University of Health Sciences (KUHS) is going ahead with several UG and PG courses on medical and para-medical subjects, but lack of timely preparation for commencement of Ph D programmes is proving the idleness of the officers in their administrative capabilities, alleged eminent academicians from the state.

According to them, the university will lose huge amount of grant-in-aid from several funding agencies like ICMR, CSIR, UGC, DST, DBT and AICTE due to the delay in starting the research programmes. Besides, it has affected the future of fresh post graduates in medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, nursing and Indian system of medicines. Those who have already passed their PG courses from KUHS have migrated to other states for research programmes.

Two batches of post graduates in medicine and allied subjects like M Pharm, M Sc (Nursing) etc have passed out from the university already, and the graduate level courses have entered into the fourth year. But the university authorities have not yet initiated the projects for researches for the passed out PG students in their respective areas, said an academician from Thrissur..

The university was established in the year 2010 for the purpose of unifying the health sciences courses which were till then spread among the four universities in the state. Since its inception, KUHS started all the courses on medical and para-medical subjects from their level first, which are now entering into the fourth year. Meantime, other universities such as Kerala, Mahatma Gandhi, Kozhikode and Kannur retained the courses started by them prior to 2010, and continuing the courses.. But these universities are not conducting fresh batches for Ph D programmes and the faculties in those institutions have become defunct, said Dr K G Revikumar, the veteran pharmacy academician from Thiruvananthapuram.

Though KUHS had invited applications for research programs in 2012, the university could not commence the foundation work for commencing the programs till the middle of 2013.  As per law, the course should have been started within six months from the date of application. Dr Vipe Varghese, Registrar of the University, said recently they have conducted a written test and shortlist has been published. The presentation of those who have cleared the tests will be held on 30th and 31st of this month.

When asked why the delay happened for commencing the research programmes, Dr K Mohandas, the vice-chancellor of KUHS said all the procedures were going on in a time-bound manner, but there were some allegations after the written test which had to be taken care of. However, he did not answer further questions.

The Registrar said they are starting only part-time research programmes and no full-time programme is planned at present. A total of twenty students have been shortlisted for all the Ph D courses.

According to academicians, the central funding agencies will not give grant for part-time Ph D programmes. The university is conducting the course only for working teachers in the colleges and the chances of fresh post graduates for doing Ph D are actually losing, alleged Dr Revikumar.