Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has assured the students and teachers of Ayurveda colleges of providing all possible help for the development of these institutions.

Interacting with the students, teachers and doctors of Ayurveda from Bihar and Jharkhand during the centenary year of Akhil Bharatiya Ayurveda Mahasammelan in Patna, Kumar said that the State Government would try to provide all facilities to students and teachers similar to those provided to medical colleges across the country.

"We will try to develop all the Ayurveda colleges in Patna along with other Ayurveda colleges situated in neighboring places. We have decided to give all possible help in development of Ayurveda and Ayurveda colleges. The state government will provide funds for development," he said.

There are 10 Ayurvedic colleges in Bihar. They are located in the state's Begusarai, Patna, Bhagalpur, East Champaran, Gaya, Siwan. Madhubani and Darbhanga Districts.

Education in Ayurveda has a rich tradition. It was taught as a scientific subject in the oldest Indian Universities of Takshashila and Nalanda. As mentioned earlier, the subject covered two schools (of physicians and surgeons) and eight specialities.

Standard Ayurveda books on specialities were used in teaching and training the students in Gurukuls. During the British rule education in institutions suffered a rude shock when teaching of Ayurveda was stopped in favour of education of western medicine.

Towards the end of British rule, because of the enthusiastic support the system received from national leaders, its revival started. Separate schools of Ayurvedic education began springing up, first in several princely States and then followed by the State Governments of British India.

( www.newkerala.com)