Unrecognised physiotherapy course: Five years on, students still wait for justice

Around 40 students of Bachelor of Physiotherapy course of Agra’s Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar University have been running from pillar to post for justice for the past five years.

These students of 2005-10 batch came to know that their course had not been recognised by the Uttar Pradesh State Medical Faculty, the governing body of the Physiotherapy course, after completing their five-year course in 2010.

When students approached the Uttar Pradesh State Medical Faculty, having its office in Lucknow, for mandatory registration with their provisional degrees after completing the course they came to know that the course has not been recognized by the governing bodyUttar Pradesh State Medical Faculty.

Like the Medical Council of India, which recognizes MBBS and MD courses and carries out mandatory registration of students after they complete their degree from medical institutions, the Uttar Pradesh State Medical Faculty also does the same job for Physiotherapy students.

After completion of th e co u r s e, Ba c h e l o r o f Physiotherapy students need to get themselves registered with the Uttar Pradesh State Medical Faculty so that they could work as private practitioners or could associate themselves with any private or government run medical institutions.

Uma Shankar Kharwar, father of Manish Kumar Singh who is among 40 students duped by the university, is fighting for justice not only for his son but for the remaining students too.

Kharwar was at the office of state information commissioner Arvind Singh Bisht on Thursday, in the state capital, for the hearing of his case. He had filed an RTI appeal on July 3, 2014, to seek justice for his son.

“I am well aware of the plight of students. I will take all possible steps to ensure justice for these students,” said SIC Arvind Singh Bisht.

Kharwar had also written a letter to governor Ram Naik on July 6 this year to get justice. The hapless father got a reply from the governor’s office on September 30 this year assuring probe in the matter.

“After spending substantial amount in my son’s education I came to know that the Bachelor of Physiotherapy course run by the Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar University, Agra, has not been recognized by the Uttar Pradesh State Medical Faculty, a governing body for physiotherapy courses,” Kharwar told HT.

It was after Kharwar’s activism the university was compelled to discontinue the course after the first batch of 2005-06 passed out in 2010.