A two months delay in the Delhi University AYUSH Admission process

New Delhi: It is believed that confusion over communication received from the AYUSH Ministry on July 4, 2017 by the Delhi University has resulted in admission delays to the undergraduate and post-graduate courses in Ayurvedic, Unani and Homeopathic medicine.

On declaration of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) for admission to undergraduate medical courses, the Ministry wrote to all state authorities on July 3 2017, about tcounselling sessions to be held for UG/PG courses for 2017.

The Ministry looks after education and research in Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, and Homeopathy, among other subjects.

However, the Ministry followed this communiqué with another the next day, asking the varsity authorities to keep the earlier order in abeyance.

"It has been directed that the letter dated July 3, 2017, may be kept in abeyance till further order of the Ministry," the letter read, reports DNA.

The Varsity's Department of Medical Sciences has yet to be heard from since say officials. "The university authorities were under the impression that some notification will be received regarding the admission process. We have written to the Ministry twice since then, but to no avail," said a senior official.

The Ministry officials, however, put the onus for the delay on confusion in communication, as the admission process in all other university colleges is already underway. "All other universities and colleges are about to wrap up their admission process in these courses. We have no idea what made the Delhi University wait for so long," a senior AYUSH official stated.

Meanwhile, to avoid any further delay, the DU has decided to conduct its own counselling session. "In a meeting held last Friday, officials at the Department of Medical Sciences decided that the varsity will begin its own admission procedure," Imtiaz Ahmed, a member of the Admission Committee for Medical Sciences, said.

A notification and forms in this regard have been posted on its website said the department.

The DU Bachelor courses in Unani Medicine and Surgery (BUMS), Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS), and Homeopathy (BHMS) courses begin their admissions in August every year.

Calling the Ministry's directions a "threat" to the university's autonomy, Rajesh Jha, the Delhi University's Executive Committee member and Assistant Professor told DNA: "Decisions related to the admission should be taken independently by the universities as any interference by the Centre will create confusion that can hamper the admission process in future as well."