Research Wings in Ayurveda Colleges Mandatory: NCISM introduces new rules

New Delhi: It has now become mandatory for all the recognised Ayurveda medical colleges in India to help students pursue Research Methodology and Medical- Statistics under the Department of Swasthavritta &Yoga in the Third (Final) Professional Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery programme.

Apart from this, in order to start Post Graduate courses, Animal House, the Ayurveda medical colleges in the country now must have Central Research Laboratory and Animal House.

The information regarding these new rules, which have been introduced by the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM) was given by Minister of Ayush Shri Sarbananda Sonowal in a written reply in Lok Sabha.

NCISM has been constituted by the Central Government as per the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine Act, 2020 for providing quality and affordable medical education, in order to ensure availability of adequate and high quality medical professionals of Indian System of Medicine including Ayurveda and also encourage such medical professionals to adopt latest medical research in their work and to contribute to research.

The Board of Ayurveda, an Autonomous Board constituted under the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM) determines standards and norms for infrastructure, faculty and quality of education and research in medical institutions of Indian System of Medicine including Ayurveda.

The Ayurveda students have the opportunity to study the subject on Research Methodology and Medical- Statistics for Third (Final) Professional Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery programme under the Department of Swasthavritta &Yoga.

In this regard, the Minister informed that "Therefore, each and every recognised Ayurveda institution/ college shall have to comply with the aforesaid provision."

Issuing a Press Release regarding the new rules, PIB further referred to the need of the Ayurveda colleges to comply with the provisions for Minimum Standards. The release stated, "The National Commission for Indian System of Medicine has made Regulations namely the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (Minimum Standards of Undergraduate Ayurveda Education) Regulations-2022 as per the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine Act, 2020. As per the said Regulation, Ayurveda College are to comply with the provisions specified under the Minimum Standards of Undergraduate Ayurveda Education, wherein, Ayurveda Graduates shall have profound knowledge of Ashtanga Ayurveda along with the contemporary advances in the field of Ayurveda supplemented with knowledge of scientific and technical advances in modern sciences and technology along with extensive practical training, as an efficient physicians and surgeons for the health care services."

"Further, it is informed that the NCISM trained three thousand teachers of 1stProfessional course on Medical Education Technology and introduced Competency Based Medical Education (CBME) for 1st Professional Courses from the Academic session 2021-22, wherein, all Advance Teaching, Training as well as Assessment Methods are incorporated," the release further added.

Addressing the need for laboratories and teaching in the Ayurveda colleges, the PIB release further mentioned, "There exists provisions under the Indian Medicine Central Council ( Requirements of Minimum Standard for Under-graduate Ayurveda Colleges and attached Hospitals) Regulations, 2016 for requirement of the laboratories in Ayurveda colleges namely Teaching Pharmacy and Quality Testing Laboratory, wherein, the college shall have a teaching pharmacy with proper training facilities for preparation of different types of Ayurveda medicines such as Churna, Vati, Guggulu, Asava-aristha, Sneha Kalp, Kshar and Lavana, Lauh, Avaleha, Kupipakva Rasayana and like medicines, a raw drug store, and in-house drug identification. Quality Testing Lab of Pharmacy is also used for teaching."

"Further, there is provision for Clinical Laboratory for clinical diagnosis and investigations in hospital complex with specified infrastructure and manpower for carrying out routine, pathology, biochemical and hematological investigation and Ayurvedic diagnostic techniques on the patients referred from Out-Patient and In-Patient department of the Hospital," it added.

Regarding the Ayurveda Post-Graduate courses, the Minister informed the Parliament that there are 140 colleges out of 453 Ayurveda colleges who runs Post Graduate courses across the country. 

"The Institute requires to have Central Research Laboratory and Animal House for starting Post Graduate, Animal house either own or in collaboration," mentioned PIB.