PGI Chandigarh MBBS Curriculum sent to Health Ministry for approval, to include Modules on Yoga, Drug abuse

Chandigarh: Implementing its earlier recommendation, the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh has included yoga course in the finalised MBBS academic syllabus.

The finalised syllabus that also includes a course on tobacco/drug abuse and research and innovation for students has already been sent to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, which shall give the final approval for this.

The agenda in this regard shall be discussed by next week, reports TOI.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that the Standing Academic Committee (SAC) of PGIMER had previously recommended for the inclusion of yoga science, ayurvedic science and traditional medicine in the MBBS curriculum. Apart from yoga and Ayurvedic science, the Committee had also suggested for including new branches such as aviation medicine and organ transplant in the new syllabus.

Such a recommendation came from the PGIMER SAC after the National Medical Commission (NMC) advocated or including Yoga training in the new CBME curriculum for the MBBS course. In this regard, the Circular had mentioned, "Yoga practices shall be for maximum 1 hour every day during the period of 10 days beginning from 12th June every year to be culminated on International Yoga day, i.e. 21st June, to be celebrated in all medical schools across the country. These may be practiced by all batches of MBBS. Yoga module will be made available to all colleges by UGMEB- NMC. However colleges may adopt their own modules. Yoga unit may be inducted under PMR department or any other department of all colleges at their discretion."

Also Read: PGI Chandigarh will include Yoga, Ayurveda and Traditional Medicine in its upcoming MBBS Curriculum

Later, the UGMEB of NMC had also issued a circular to notify about the common YOGA protocol which is being developed by the Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga under Ministry of AYUSH with an aim to maintain uniformity of the course.

Complying with the NMC's plans for including Yoga training in the MBBS curriculum, the PGI Chandigarh is now also recommending to add Yoga science, ayurvedic science and traditional medicine in the MBBS syllabus.

As per the latest media report by the Times of India, the finalised MBBS curriculum of PGIMER includes the Yoga course and a course on tobacco/drug abuse and research and innovation for students. It has already been sent to the Union Health Ministry for its approval.

Established back in 1962, PGIMER is an 'Institute of National Importance' and it mainly provides PG medical degrees in almost all disciplines of medicine. However, it has MBBS students in 92 MBBS seats in the general category at the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) in Sector 32.

Medical Dialogues had recently reported that in a first, PGIMER was considering to commence admission in MBBS course with intake capacity of 100 students initially.

TOI adds that the MBBS committee of PGI gas planned for taking 25 acre i.e. half of the total land area in Sarangpur for its MBBS campus. A senior faculty has further informed the daily that these courses shall be unique here.

Sources also added that the MBBS course is expected to commence next year after foundation stone is laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Speaking about this, a member of PGI MBBS committee told TOI, "The government is keen to start the programme in the institute soon and that is why the course has been designed within a few months. Otherwise, it takes much longer."

Also Read: Mandatory Yoga for MBBS: NMC releases Common Yoga Protocol to be followed by all