Bengaluru: Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences will make yoga mandatory for all colleges under its ambit from this academic year, including medical colleges. The move is part of the university’s effort to counter drug, alcohol, and tobacco abuse among students and to help them battle stress.“We reviewed the data available nationally and internationally and are aware of the impact of stress on students. The incidences are more in the healthcare sector. There were recent instances of suicides from our medical colleges. We want to help our students. More alarmingly, there has also been an increase in drug abuse cases in the state, which we need to put a stop to on our campuses,” said vice-chancellor Bhagavan BC. The university will sign a memorandum with S Vyasa University, which has developed a comprehensive yoga and meditation programme. S Vyasa University will train the faculty in each college. The programme is expected to roll out this academic year. The university will start wellness clinics in the nodal centres, where a group of doctors will be assigned to counsel students. “We have 1,500 institutions across the state. We will get medical colleges and voluntary organisations to offer counselling services free to all our students. We will issue them a health card. If the counsellors find they are under stress, we will help them through our therapies. If they require medication, we will request all our constituent colleges to pitch in and give them medicines free of cost,” he said. Even though the national medical commission once ordered yoga classes for all, it was not implemented in the state. “Yoga will help stimulate the brain, reduce stress and overcome addictions. Yoga is not just part of alternative medicine; it has become part of our lifestyle now, just like morning walks. Its benefits are now scientifically proven,” he said. The university will conduct a survey to understand the extent of stress and substance abuse among students and decide the further plans of action. Additionally, the university also aims to make campuses plastic-free. Also on the cards are financial literacy classes for all students.
