State told to act against seven 'illegal' ayurvedic colleges

The High Court on Monday directed the Karnataka government to take necessary action against seven ayurvedic colleges which have admitted students despite not being recognised by the authorities concerned.

Hearing a writ appeal by the TMAE Society’s Ayurvedic Medical College and Hospital in Shimoga district, Chief Justice Vikramajit Sen and Justice B V Nagarathna said that, as per the State government’s own submission, 314 students had been admitted into unrecognised institutions.

“Their (students’) future is in jeopardy. The State government should take necessary action against the seven colleges which are operating without recognition,” the bench said. Justice Sen also directed the government to submit a status report within 15 days.

Established in 1992, the Ayurvedic Medical College has been offering courses for a Bachelor of Ayurveda, Medicine and Surgery (BAMS). The college, in an appeal to the Court, revealed that a team of the Central Council of Indian Medicine had visited their campus in February 2012. After inspections, the team had decided not to grant  permission for admissions to the undergraduate courses.

Later, the Central Government refused permission for the year 2012-13. Thereafter, the Society filed a writ petition, seeking interim orders for permission to admit students for the academic year 2012-13. Permission was denied and the Court asked the Additional Advocate General to conduct an investigation of colleges which were continuing to admit students — even in the absence of official recognition.

On Monday, the State government submitted to the Court that of the 58 colleges in the State, 34 were operating as per the rules. The others were in violation, including 10 colleges functioning based on interim orders by the High Court. Seven colleges, where 314 undergraduate students and two postgraduate students study, are functioning without recognition, the report said.