Adesh University: A Step towards Development of Healthcare and Malwa

Waheeb Ulla
The culmination of five rivers gives the name "Punjab" to the state in North India that covers a geographical area of 50,362 square kilometers. A prominent region in the state at the south of river Sutlej called 'Malwa' has eight districts namely: Bathinda, Mansa, Faridkot, Ferozpur, Muktsar, Moga, Barnala and Sangroor. These areas are worst affected by Cancer. Malwa area has emerged as the epicenter of the disease and has come to be known as the cancer belt of Punjab. In a quest to wipe away this title, Adesh University, in its exemplary methods of graduating students, meets the demands of the industry and produces Healthcare experts that are tuned for the welfare of the local community. "We strive to cater to the local needs first and then the needs of the industry," says Dr. G P I Singh, Vice Chancellor, Adesh University. Located in Bathinda, Adesh University has been established with a vision of making Malwa, the under-developed and backward belt of Punjab, a hub of the academic activity and a leading force in the field of Medical and Technical Education, complimented by research activities.

A noteworthy educational trust formed in 1995, Adesh Foundation started its journey in the field of professional education and health care with the establishment of Adesh Institute of Engineering and Technology, in Faridkot in the year 1996. The proliferation of the trust followed suit with the foundation of Adesh Institute of Medical Sciences & Research [AIMSR], in Bathinda. The College of Nursing and the College of Physiotherapy were added on to AIMSR. The expansion of the name saw the establishment of Adesh Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences in 2007 and Adesh Institute of Dental Sciences & Research in 2008 in Bathinda. After five years of regular inspections by the Medical Council, the UGC and various other bodies, in July 2012 under an act called Act 6 of 2012 named the Adesh University Act of Punjab Legislative Assembly, the group of institutions received the stature of a private University.

For a state like Punjab that surrounds the National Capital Region, Adesh University takes pride in ensuring total transparency in admissions as its entrance tests are carried out in more than one center throughout the country. "Admissions for courses such as MBBS, BDS, MSMD, are all exam based," adds Dr. Singh. "Adesh University offers courses that are affiliated by the Government of India and recognized by the respective councils of the institutions." For the vast courses that are recognized by National Regulatory Authorities like Medical Council, Dental Council, Nursing Council, and Pharmacy Council; Adesh University has installed new departments like Center for Inter-Disciplinary Bio Medical Research [CIBR] that caters the research needs on an active forefront. The department has started programs such as: Diploma in Library Sciences, Bachelor in Library Science, & Masters in Library Sciences, and is in function for over two years. The University also has 17 specialized streams in its array of offering in which skill based diploma and degrees pertaining to paramedical sciences are in demand by the local student committee.

With regard to catering to the educational needs of the locality, the University has the specific purpose of making provisions for instruction, teaching, education, research, training & related activities at all levels in disciplines of higher education including professional, medical/dental/ technical teaching, and general education, particularly to the aspirants of the rural area. Enabling the right and result oriented delivery of the curriculum is the highly skilled faculty at Adesh University. The skills of the faculty are constantly upgraded and the university lays a rigid emphasis on ethical and human values in the students for which regular programs are conducted to cultivate moral values. "Ethics form the base of functions for Healthcare experts and we strive to cultivate a high level of ethics in our graduates," reveals Dr. Singh.

Research Pursuits of the Current Needs

"Research has always been the primary factor in providing Industry Insight in the Healthcare Industry," believes Dr. Singh. Realizing the need for preparing students on the industry frontier, Adesh University is in collaborations with many eminent institutions like Banaras Hindu University, SRM University Chennai, Genome Foundation of India Hyderabad; and industries like Aurobindo Pharma Limited. Collaborative programs like student exchange, faculty exchange are on-going with collaborative research. The University's research advancements have developed three drugs formulations and three patents for drugs products have been filed in the U.S., European Union and India. There are on-going talks about the University's collaborations with European Universities in Germany and UK. Adesh University supports its research endeavors by a Hospital in its campus. A 750 bed, super-specialty hospital in a whole spectrum of clinical material medical is equipped with the latest technology and super-specialties of tertiary care that provides reality exposure to the students.

Functioning in a sprawling self-contained campus where all colleges and hostels are situated, Adesh University in its abode, aspires to add many more courses which are in addition to the present ones. "We are currently undergoing a state of transition and our teams are submitting proposals for funding authorities like Department of Scientific Technology and Biotech, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, ICMR. We want to grow at every foothold and offer to the ever changing Healthcare Industry and cater to the development of Malwa," concludes Dr. Singh.

Dr. (Lt Col) GPI Singh:

He is the Vice Chancellor of Adesh University. He has practiced medicines in the armed forces for about 28 years. As an academic, he has taught at the prestigious Armed Forces Medical College, Pune. Dr Singh has been felicitated with many honours and he is also a national expert in preventive and social medicine. He had an invitation to the Lok Sabha standing committee for a special presentation on health implication of genetically modified food in India. He believes Adesh University has been raised on the vision to make it a world-class center of excellence in higher education in Healthcare and various other realms.

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