Baba Farid University of Health Sciences

Dr Raj Bahadur is the Vice-Chancellor of Baba Farid University of Health Sciences. He has experience of more than 35 years in the education field. Besides being a teacher, researcher, and an administrator, he is also a reputed surgeon. He specializes in general orthopaedics surgery, orthopaedic education, spinal surgery and joint replacement. 

What are the key factors that keep you connected with the education sector?

“Staying committed to serving the nation by producing the best workforce”

I have always felt the need to impart quality education to students and mentor them. I have always aimed at moulding them into the best doctors, physiotherapists, dentists, pharmacists of the nation and serve our motherland.

How do you strategize about the key programs and plans for the marketing and administration of your school?

“The mission is to create an intellectual, academic and physical environment”

Baba Farid University of Health Sciences is one of the oldest Health Sciences Universities in the region. Providing quality education to our students, training them to be the best surgeons, physicians, pharmacists, nurses in the country is our priority plan. To justify that, we have continuously striven to teach with more practical techniques. We have signed MOUs with multiple institutes both in India and abroad for training our students with the latest programs. One such MOU is with British Columbia University to train our Nursing Students. In recent times, we have had online programs on sensitive topics such as “Drug Deaddiction” and “Diabetes Treatment” for our graduate students from various universities. Coming to the administration of BFUHS, we are trying to maintain transparency as much as possible. It’s not going to be achieved in one step and it is a continuous process. 

How does the curriculum of Baba Farid University of Health Sciences ensure the best practice of industry?

“Getting the students ready for selfless social service”

I strongly believe that healthcare is never an industry, but a service to humanity. In this pandemic, we have definitely got to know the importance of the frontline workers and their selfless service. The curriculum focuses on the student’s understanding of the practical work-place scenario. I discuss the cases I handle with my students and share my experience. It gives them an insight into how and why the healthcare industry functions the way it does. From values, ethics, to treat the patients with a sense of belonging, our curriculum is designed to cover it all.

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Any insights into how your university could be more welcoming to students of different races or economic backgrounds?

“Protecting everyone’s right to education”

The Government of India and the university is very sensitive in this matter. We owe to the initiative of the Central Government, as there are now additional seats allocated for the students hailing from the economically weaker section. Earlier, the seats were allocated on the basis of their quota - General, OBC, and others. Now, the same situation will be continued for students from economically weaker sections. This means, earlier the discipline which had 100 seats now has 120 seats. Apart from these, there are Post-Matric Scholarships for the students. We are trying to talk to multiple banks and financial institutions, such as SBI, to grant education loans for the students. This will help them achieve their dreams and aspirations.

What are some of the biggest challenges you see, both for higher education in general and for Baba Farid University of Health Sciences specifically?

“Being comfortable with the paradigm shift”

Well, I feel there are multiple challenges for institutes such as BFUHS. Obviously, one such challenge is to keep up with the ever-increasing expectations of the students, public and the government. However, some of the major challenges which I see for Baba Farid University of Health Sciences and for higher education in general are:

  • Less fund support for State Universities from the government for R&D and infrastructure. 
  • Change in the students’ mentality and approach towards their profession. The major reason being the society’s views and expectations. 
  • Decreased value of the teacher-student relationship 

What do you think should be the University’s top priority over the next 10 years?

“The main focus is on increasing the employment rate”

We are focusing on having super speciality courses at BFUHS in very important disciplines such as cancer treatment, neurology, radiotherapy, etc. We were the first to bring MCH courses in Punjab. We are working very hard to bring more such super speciality courses and disciplines in our institute so that the students in Punjab need not travel to other states or even go abroad to pursue these courses. We are also setting up sister institutes under BFUHS in Firozpur, Hoshiarpur and Bathinda. 

“BFUHS provides 6-month certification courses for 10th pass students. The certification courses are for 6 streams such as General Nursing And Midwifery, Auxiliary Nurse & Midwife, Medical Lab Technology, Operation Theatre Techniques, Medical Radiography Technology, Blood Banking Technology.”

What would you like people to know about your university they may not know?

“Discarding any scope for biases and inequality”

Baba Farid University of Health Sciences is one of the oldest Health Sciences University in the nation. BFUHS is known in Punjab and the neighbouring states for its transparency in every aspect. Be it in admissions, faculty recruitment or even examinations. We have set such standards which have increased our credibility across the region. The Government of Punjab has asked BFUHS to conduct recruitment interviews for all Health Sciences Institutes across the state on their behalf. We have strived to maintain our credibility. Now, with regards to the examinations, the student’s papers are evaluated four times by different evaluators of BFUHS as well as from other premium institutes of Punjab. This gives the students a sense of confidence that there is no scope of impartiality against them and every student is treated equally. 

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Any suggestions you would like to give to the current youth and the aspiring students?

“Sincere efforts will make you stand out from the crowd”

To all the students reading this interview, remember that your Parents and your Teachers expect you to be excellent professionals with ethics and be a kind human being. This is what that matters in anyone’s life. To achieve your dreams and aspirations, hard work is the key. Everyone is aiming for success and excellence in their life. Be persistent with your efforts and eventually you will set examples.