NEWS TODAY 06.10.2024

 

‘Students missing MBBS by a whisker are picking Ayurveda as next choice’

‘Students missing MBBS by a whisker are picking Ayurveda as next choice’ 

Times Special Hemali.Chhapia@timesofindia.com  06.10.2024

Mumbai : In Maharashtra, private Ayurveda colleges closed their recent first-round admissions with a NEET score cut-off of 387, while private dental colleges settled at 396. Dental still holds a slight edge, but the competition is uneven as there are 95 private Ayurveda colleges compared to 25 private dental institutions. 

A similar trend is seen in govt institutions: admissions to the four dental colleges ended at a NEET score of 606, while the cut-off at the 22 govt and aided Ayurveda colleges was 436 at the end of the first round. “This year, top Ayurveda colleges have recorded high cut-offs. Students who missed an MBBS seat by a whisker, have put down their next option as Ayurveda instead of dentistry. Hence, admission in several colleges, including mine, has crossed a score of 450,” said Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS) standing committee chairman Balasaheb Pawar. 

There is another indicator of the growing interest in Ayurveda, which has the highest number of colleges and seats after nursing: There is a beeline to start more Ayurveda colleges, said sources from the CET cell. Pawar added that after the pandemic, the dental market collapsed and there have been vacant seats in certain govt. dental colleges in the past three years. “Before the pandemic, Ayurveda was languishing and, though there were fewer colleges than now, seats were going vacant,” he said. Pawar pegs Ayurveda’s rising popularity to several factors: opening up of govt jobs for Ayurveda graduates, the expansion of their scope of work that allows them to practise as general physicians and the increase in the number of patients turning to “various Indian-pathy” post-Covid. Ayurveda’s rise has been so swift that there are whispers that some colleges now charge capitation fees—though illegal, it’s a sign of the field’s growing clout. 

In this backdrop, Ayurveda colleges have a new demand: parity with MBBS institutions. College owners want the same tuition norms granted to MBBS under the institutional quota. “Ayurveda colleges previously charged 3X the regular fee for institutional quota seats, while MBBS colleges were allowed to charge 5X. This year, Ayurveda colleges demanded the 5X rule be extended to them too. Their demand made to the medical education ministry, has been forwarded to the Fee Regulatory Committee. But colleges are already charging 5X fee,” said parent representative Sachin Bangad. MUHS vice-chancellor Lt Gen (Retd) Dr Madhuri Kanitkar said she is steering Ayurveda into uncharted territory. “With a sharp focus on rigorous research, enhanced standards in Ayurvedic education, and a commitment to a truly holistic view of health, we are redefining the field. Several Indians practise pluralism—someone at home follows Ayurveda, someone swears by homeopathy, sciences that are wholesome and stress on health being not just curative, but also preventive, promotive, curative, rehabilitative and palliative,” she said. 

The creation of a dedicated AYUSH department and the appointment of an Ayurvedic doctor as pro-vice chancellor for the first time are strong signals that the university is focused on Ayurveda. Senior Ayurvedic pediatrician Dr Hetal Nagda has observed a notable shift: Ayurveda has gained momentum post-Covid, with support from multiple fronts. “The Indian govt has championed it, digitising records and promoting its benefits, but what's striking is people from all walks of life are now embracing it.” Even allopathic doctors, she said, refer children to Ayurvedic practitioners for “certain conditions”. She said an “Ayurvedic renaissance” is underway. "Students from around the world are flocking to institutes in Jamnagar, parts of Kerala and Jaipur. Belgium and Germany, where Ayurveda was once synonymous with massage, now have clinics run by Ayurvedic physicians. Dubai has seen an uptick in clinics catering to the Keralite diaspora, and it’s flourishing across the United States," Dr Nagda said.

NEWS TODAY 05.10.2024

 

Corruption Charges Against Officers Of Tender Scrutiny Committee Cannot Result In Cancellation Of Valid Tender: Karnataka High Court

Corruption Charges Against Officers Of Tender Scrutiny Committee Cannot Result In Cancellation Of Valid Tender: Karnataka High Court

Mustafa Plumber

30 Jan 2023 2:51 PM

The Karnataka High Court has said that a tender inviting authority is empowered only to cancel the tender prior to notification of award and execution of the contract. Once the award is notified, it is statutorily impermissible to withdraw or cancel the tender except for violation of the tender conditions, said the court.

Justice M Nagaprasanna allowed the petition filed by M/s Allengers Medical Systems Limited and directed Karnataka State Medical Supplies Corporation Limited to issue purchase order for portable X-ray machines in favour of the company pursuant to the Tender Notification dated 27-10-2021 and award of tender in its favour, within 2 weeks.

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The bench said,

“Once the award is notified and contract is executed it becomes a concluded process of tender. The tender then can be cancelled only on violation of conditions of agreement or award by the tenderer. Any unilateral cancellation of tender in the midstream or after execution of the contract cannot be countenanced, more particularly, when the contracting authority is a State under Article 12 of the Constitution of India.”

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In 2021, the Corporation issued a notice inviting tenders for procurement of 100mA Portable X-ray machines. The petitioner submitted the tender along with other bidders.

After scrutiny by the Tender Scrutiny Committee, the petitioner was declared to be technically qualified and later emerged as the successful bidder. Later, a notification was issued by the Corporation notifying the award of contract in favour of the petitioner on 02-03-2022.

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Pursuant to the notification of award, an agreement was signed between the parties and thereafter, a demand draft for supply of 165 Portable X-ray machines of 100mA was submitted by the petitioner for issuance of purchase order and a separate agreement for such purchase was also entered into between the parties. In spite of all these, no purchase order was issued as was required, in terms of the tender notification and the agreement entered into between the parties.

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The petitioner approached the court and on issuance of notice. the corporation issued a communication dated November 3, 2022, informing about cancellation of tender order. It argued that that in the hope of getting a purchase order, it has procured all the machines and kept ready for them distribution and has spent several lakhs in the process.

The government defended its action by saying that if there is fraud involved in a tender, the tender can be cancelled at any time. It claimed there are certain charges of corruption in the declaration of the petitioner to be the successful bidder, which came to light later and owing to the complaint, a decision was taken to cancel the tender.

However, it was admitted that the petitioner was declared to be the successful bidder and a contract was also entered into for the purpose of distribution of portable x-ray machines with the petitioner.

The bench said if there are corruption charges against officers of the Tender Scrutiny Committee, it is for the appropriate authority to take action. It cannot result in cancellation of a valid tender, it added

“A notice inviting tender can be withdrawn or cancelled only upto a particular stage. Once it crosses the said stage, any unilateral cancellation would be an arbitrary muexercise of power," said the court.

Observing that Article 14 of the Constitution of India mandates that every action of the State should pass through the golden thread of non-arbitrariness, the court said the Corporation is a State under Article 12 of the Constitution of India.

“Being a State it would not behove of the 2nd respondent to act arbitrarily," said the court.

The court said the cancelling of the tender — after the tender process was concluded, award was notified and contract was signed with the petitioner — "would amount to arbitrary exercise of power and violative of tenets of Article 14 of the Constitution of India.”

Case Title: M/s Allengers Medical Systems Ltd And State of Karnataka

Case No: WRIT PETITION No.17634 OF 2022

Citation: 2023 LiveLaw (Kar) 33

Date of Order: 25--01-2023

Appearance: Advocate K Satish for petitioner.

AGA M.Vinod Kumar for R-1, R-3 TO R-5.

Advocate Sumana Baliga for R2.