Students of Gopabandhu Ayurvedic College in Puri launched an indefinite hunger strike on Monday, escalating their ongoing protest over an eight-point charter of demands that they claim has been ignored for years. The agitation, which began nearly a month ago, has included black-badge demonstrations, night-long sit-ins and symbolic gestures such as mailing white aprons to the Odisha Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling through the Puri Post Office.

With no progress on their demands, students reportedly locked one section of the college and staged a dharna at the main gate. Despite the intensified protest, they continued treating patients at the hospital, reiterating that their agitation is not intended to disrupt healthcare services. Among their primary concerns is the lack of recruitment in Ayurvedic colleges since 2002–03, which they say has left graduates uncertain about their career prospects.

Students Highlight Stagnant Seats and Stipend

The protesting students allege that the number of PG and PhD seats has not been increased for years and that stipends have remained unchanged, adding to academic pressure and financial hardship. They also flagged the shortage of Ayurvedic medicines prescribed by them in the hospital, describing it as a major issue affecting patients’ confidence in Ayurvedic treatment. Ensuring the availability of these medicines, they said, would help strengthen public trust and encourage wider acceptance of Ayurvedic care.

Also Read: AYUSH doctors stage sit-in protest over 10-point charter of demands in Bhubaneswar

Demand for Governing Body Formation

Another key demand is the formation of a governing body for all three Ayurvedic colleges in the State. Students said they held discussions with the Odisha Health Minister, but with no concrete assurances forthcoming, they decided to proceed with the hunger strike. They stressed that their concerns, ranging from stagnant academic infrastructure to lack of employment opportunities, require urgent attention after nearly two decades of neglect.