Residents of Mayurbhanj district are increasingly frustrated over the delayed revival of Mayurbhanj Ayurveda Mahavidyalaya in Takatpur, Baripada. The issue, a key election promise for both BJD and BJP, remains unaddressed. Former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik pledged revival before the 2014 and 2019 elections, but no progress was made.

Historical context and closure

Established privately in 1983, the college moved to Takatpur in 1990 and offered a Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) course with 30 seats from 1992. It operated successfully until 2008, when the Central Council of Indian Medicine (CCIM) halted admissions due to insufficient qualified teachers.

An employee explained, “When the CCIM team came for inspection in 2008, we had 24 teaching staff against the requirement of 30. We didn’t have the money to recruit more teachers and the only revenue we generated was from the fees collected from the students. Fresh admission was stopped due to the ban by CCIM and the last batch of 2007-08 passed out in 2012.” Post-closure, the associated hospital saw a decline in patients.

Unfulfilled government promises

In 2019, the Health department’s feasibility report led to a decision, chaired by the development commissioner, to bring the college under state government control. However, this plan remains unimplemented. Recently, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced a new Ayurveda college in Rairangpur, which locals welcomed but emphasised that reviving the existing college is a priority.

Potential for revival

College principal Aditya Kumar Panda highlighted the institution’s past success, noting, “Students from across the country used to take admission in the college and many graduates now serve in government and private sectors. If the college is reopened, it can once again produce skilled Ayurvedic doctors.”