Talk:First International Essay Competition'2020 on Health and Ayurveda

Process of scrutiny and judgement for information to participants

Total 165 essays were received in the essay competition. Each essay was blinded and coded before proceeding further. These coded essays were submitted for three levels of assessment.

First round of scrutiny

In the scrutiny, overall presentation and structural integrity of content, inclusion of expected topics, word limit, references, general format given in guidelines were observed. Total 92 essays were found suitable based on these criteria.

These 92 essays were subjected to online plagiarism checker software “viper” available on https://www.scanmyessay.com/. The essays with less than 5 percent plagiarism were accepted as per UGC norms for submission to next level judgement.

Total 39 essays were found eligible for second round.

Scrutiny Committee

• Chairman: Prof. Anup Thakar, Director, I.P.G.T.R.A. and I/c Vice Chancellor, Gujarat Ayurved University, Jamnagar
• Co-ordinator: Dr. Yogesh Deole, Project Co-ordinator, Charak Samhita New Edition
• Members:

1. Dr. Aniket Shilwant, Assistant Professor, G. J. Patel Institute of Ayurvedic Studies and Research, New Vallabh Vidyanagar, Anand
2. Dr. Anagha S., Charak Research Fellow, Charak Samhita Research, Training and Skill Development Centre, I.P.G.T.R.A., Jamnagar
3. Dr.Aneesh E.G. , Charak Research Fellow, Charak Samhita Research, Training and Skill Development Centre, I.P.G.T.R.A., Jamnagar

Second round of adjudication

Three zones were designed as per the geographical location of 39 participants. The 39 essays were divided in three sets of 13 essays each as per the zone. Nine expert reviewers were requested to adjudicate. Each set of essays was submitted to a group of three reviewers from different zone. The essays were assessed based upon objective scoring pattern with expected topics to be covered as announced in the competition brochure and on website.

Zone wise merit list was prepared based on average of scores given by judges. A follow up meeting on skype was organized with all judges on May 01, 2020. Top five essays from each zone were selected for next round. Thus the top 15 essays were subjected to third round of final judgement.

Expert judges in second round

1. Prof. Pawankumar Godatwar, Dean, Research, National Institute of Ayurveda, Jaipur, Rajasthan
2. Prof. B.S.Prasad, Principal, KLE’s Ayurveda College, Belagavi, Karnataka
3. Prof. Jaydevan C.V., Principal, VPSV Ayurveda College, Kottakkal, Kerala
4. Prof. Kishor Patwardhan, Faculty of Ayurveda, I.M.S., B.H.U., Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
5. Prof. Madhav Diggavi, Professor, Taranath Ayurveda Medical College, Bellary, Karnataka
6. Prof. Upendra Dixit, Director, Dixit Ayurveda, Goa
7. Dr. Supriya Bhalerao, Ayurveda Research Scientist, I.R.S.H.A. , Bharati Vidyapeeth, Pune, Maharashtra
8. Dr. Galib, Associate Professor, All India Institute of Ayurveda, New Delhi
9. Dr. Girish K.J., Dean, SDM College of Ayurveda, Hassan, Karnataka

Third round of final judgement

The top 15 essays were submitted to judges in the final round. The assessment was done on objective scoring pattern based on expected topics to be covered as announced in the competition brochure and website. The scoring pattern can be downloaded here. Two meetings were organized with all judges on google meet on 06/06/2020 and 22/06/2020.

Expert judges in final round

1. Dr. Gopal Basisht, Patron and Director, Charak Samhita New Edition, Orlando, Florida, USA
2. Padmashri Prof. Gurdip Singh, Former Dean, I.P.G.T.& R.A., Jamnagar, Gujarat
3. Prof. M. S. Baghel, Ex Ayurveda Chair, University of Debrecen, Hungary and Ex Director, I.P.G.T.& R.A., Gujarat Ayurved University, Jamnagar
4. Prof. H. M. Chandola, Formerly Director-Principal, Ch. Brahm Prakash Ayurveda Charak Sansthan, Govt. of Delhi
5. Prof. S. K. Khandel, Former Professor, National Institute of Ayurveda, Jaipur, Rajasthan
6. Prof. Kishor Patwardhan, Faculty of Ayurveda, I.M.S., B.H.U., Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
7. Dr. Supriya Bhalerao, Ayurveda Research Scientist, I.R.S.H.A. , Bharati Vidyapeeth, Pune, Maharashtra

Observations in final round

As per the assessment of essays submitted in essay competition by expert judges, following are the observations in the final round of judgement.

The judges panel unanimously conveyed that none of the essay is found suitable to be honored with the designated awards in competition. More information on the shortcomings observed in essays can be downloaded here. Therefore, the competition process shall be re-started to find suitable candidate to get honored with these prestigious awards.

At present, It is decided to give consolation prizes to the participants who secured above 50% marks.

Award	Decision
Atreya Award: Rs. 51000/- and certificate	No essay found suitable, re- invite entries
Agnivesha Award: Rs. 21000/- and certificate	No essay found suitable, re- invite entries
Charaka Award: Rs. 11000/- and certificate	No essay found suitable, re- invite entries
Dridhabala Awards: Three Consolation Prizes of Rs. 5000/- each and certificates	No essay found suitable for the title. Give consolation prizes to those who secured above 50% marks.

Winners of consolation prizes

• Dr.Najma Mol K., Doctor, B.A. M.S., Kalappattil, Mallapuram District, Kerala, India
• Dr.Tanya Lall, Post Graduate Scholar, Uttaranchal Ayurvedic College, Uttarakhand Ayurved University, Dehradun, Uttarakhand,India
• Dr. Megha Prafulchandra Acharya, Ph.D. Scholar, Department of Basic Principles, I. P. G. T. and R.A., Gujarat Ayurved University, Jamnagar,India

We congratulate the consolation prize winners.

Further information

• As none of the essays is found suitable to be honored with the designated awards, the process of competition is being restarted.
• The consolation prizes will be awarded on 20th July 2020. Due to present situation caused due to COVID-19 pandemic, physical presence may not be possible. Hence, online transfer and webinar will be organized.
• All participants will receive a participation certificate in the present competition till 31st July 2020.