The students of the Government-run Biju Pattnaik Homoeopathy Medical College here went on a one-day token strike on Thursday in support of their seven-point charter of demands.
The demands included filling up of all the 28 vacant posts, regular conduct of all practical classes, regular functioning of the indoor hospital, provision of separate common room facilities for women and men students, regular opening of the college library with adequate learning resources in homoeopathic sciences, sanction of HMOs and HAs required for the hospital and appointment of a lab technician for the pathology department and a radiographer for operating the x-ray and ultrasound machines.
This homoeopathy college, one of the oldest and premier in the State, remains neglected by the Government. Absence of teachers has affected teaching, said the students. One faculty member of a particular discipline is in charge of more than one department.
If the students are deprived of practical classes and hands-on experience in laboratory experiments, how can they becomes successful homoeopaths, questioned the students. The library is currently defunct, they pointed out.
The State Ayush Director has on July 8 this year requested the Additional Secretary of the Health Department to take early action for filling up of the vacant posts of lecturers through the OPSC and the higher posts through the DPC by getting vacated the stay order by the Odisha Administrative Tribunal. But this request and repeated demands of the students remain unheeded.
It is surprising that out of the 144 sanctioned teaching posts for the State’s four Government Homoeopathic Medical Colleges, only 30 teachers are working and the remaining 114 posts are vacant, sources said.
The students locked the main gate of the college and sat on dharna in front of the college holding placards and chanting slogans against the Government’s apathy and in support of their demands. If their demands are not fulfilled by August 15, they would intensify their agitation, the students cautioned.