Tracing the genesis of the country’s first medical university, in Vijayawada

Established in 1986, Dr. NTR University of Health Sciences is the first exclusive medical sciences university in India.

Until the 1980s, there was no exclusive university for medical colleges anywhere in the country, with all medical colleges and related courses being administered by local universities.

While other streams of education, such as engineering, had dedicated universities, it was not the case for the medical sciences.

It was only around the 1980s that the need for an exclusive university for medical colleges was felt. “At the time, there were eight government medical colleges and one private medical college in the erstwhile undivided State of Andhra Pradesh. The medical colleges were all attached to different universities, such as Andhra University, Sri Venkateswara University, Osmania and Kakatiya universities,” recalled Radhika Reddy, Registrar of Dr. NTR University of Health Sciences, commonly known as Dr. NTRUHS.

She mentioned how different exam schedules, patterns and syllabi were being followed in different colleges earlier. “Getting anything done was a task since the medical college used to be far away from the university it was affiliated to. Besides, medical professionals follow a different set of rules, most of which are internationally and centrally approved, a different methodology of teaching, and practical and training sessions,” she said.

The then Chief Minister of united Andhra Pradesh, N.T. Rama Rao, came up with the idea of setting up a university to improve medical education and to bring under its roof all medical courses to impart quality education, research and training.

This led to the establishment of the first medical sciences university in the country, the University of Health Sciences of Andhra Pradesh, in Vijayawada through Act No. 6 in 1986. Medical professionals still consider this to be a landmark decision taken by N.T. Rama Rao during his tenure as the Chief Minister, one which would inspire other States to emulate.

The setting up of UHS was a milestone in the field of medical education, says D. Jayadheer who was part of the first batch of students to have studied in one of the colleges affiliated to the university in 1988-89.