The establishment of The West Bengal University of Health Sciences (WBUHS) fulfilled a long-held aspiration among the state's medical community. Previously, undergraduate and postgraduate medical teaching was fragmented, overseen by multiple state universities. This resulted in significant inconsistencies in teaching methodologies, evaluation standards, and the recognition of medical graduates.
Recognizing the need for standardization and to resolve this disparity, medical education stakeholders advocated for a centralized system.
Consequently, WBUHS was established in Kolkata under the 'West Bengal Act. XIII of 2002'. The governing law, The West Bengal University of Health Sciences – Act. 2002, was formally notified on August 1, 2002. Following the official procedures, the University commenced operations on January 1, 2003, marking its official date of inception as the key body for medical higher education in West Bengal.
Despite being relatively young, WBUHS has experienced remarkable and rapid growth since 2003. The number of enrolled students, the range of affiliated courses, and the desire for affiliation have all increased substantially. The University has successfully worked with limited resources to enforce consistent standards across medical education in the state. Moving forward, WBUHS is poised to build on its experience to meet the expanding needs of both the state and the nation in medical education.
