SEBC, OEC candidates denied age relaxation in Ayurveda Diploma admissions

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Candidates from Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) and Other Eligible Communities (OEC) have been denied the three-year age relaxation ordinarily available to them for admission to newly introduced Ayurveda diploma courses conducted by the Kerala Ayush Department's Directorate of Ayurveda Medical Education.

The issue has arisen in the diploma courses introduced in place of the existing certificate programmes. Applications have been invited for admissions to courses in Ayurveda nursing, pharmacy and therapy offered at three government colleges, two aided Ayurveda colleges, one government public sector institution and 17 self-financing Ayurveda colleges across the State.

The omission appears in the prospectus issued on June 27 by the Joint Secretary of the Ayush Department along with the government order inviting applications.
Under the reservation policy, candidates from SEBC and OEC categories are normally eligible for a three-year relaxation in the upper age limit, while Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe candidates receive a five-year relaxation.

The prospectus fixes the upper age limit for general category applicants at 33 years. It grants a five-year relaxation to Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe candidates, allowing them to apply up to the age of 38, and a seven-year relaxation to ex-servicemen, raising their upper age limit to 40 years.

However, no age relaxation has been provided for candidates from the backward communities. As a result, their upper age limit also remains 33 years, the same as that of the general category.

The Directorate of Ayurveda Medical Education said the error had occurred while LBS prepared the prospectus, but added that the prospectus published was the one approved by the government.

Meanwhile, demands have been raised for the government to restore the three-year age relaxation for backward community candidates and extend the deadline for submitting applications.