The establishment of the West Bengal University of Health Sciences (WBUHS) marked a significant realization for the state's medical community. Previously, medical education—both undergraduate and postgraduate—was fragmented, overseen by multiple state universities. This resulted in significant disparity in teaching standards, evaluation processes, and crucially, the recognition of graduates across different institutions.
Recognizing this critical need for uniformity and to resolve this impasse, all stakeholders in medical education strongly advocated for a unified system.
Under these compelling circumstances, the WBUHS was formally created in Kolkata under the 'West Bengal Act XIII of 2002'. The Act was officially notified on August 1, 2002, and the University officially commenced operations on January 1, 2003, marking its date of birth as the apex body for medical higher education in the state.
Despite its relatively young age, the WBUHS has experienced unparalleled growth since 2003. The number of affiliated courses, the student population under its governance, and the aspiration to join the University have all expanded at an unprecedented rate. Despite navigating challenges and operating with limited resources, the WBUHS has successfully worked to maintain uniform standards in medical education, preparing it for the heightened responsibility of serving the future educational needs of the state and the nation.
