Steps Taken to Promote Ayush Medicine

Why in news

The Ministry of Ayush has undertaken various measures through regulatory bodies and a Centrally Sponsored Scheme to enhance the quality of medical education in Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, and Homoeopathy.

Exam relevance

GS2, GS3 · Governance, Society, Economy · Prelims · Mains

Key facts

1. The Ministry of Ayush promotes Ayush medicine through regulatory bodies: the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM) and the National Commission for Homoeopathy (NCH).
2. NCISM and NCH were established under the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine Act, 2020 and the National Commission for Homoeopathy Act, 2020, respectively.
3. These commissions aim to enhance the quality of medical education in Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, and Homoeopathy.
4. Public Health is a State subject, making the primary responsibility for establishing new Ayush Educational Institutions fall under respective State Governments.
5. The Centrally Sponsored Scheme of National Ayush Mission (NAM) provides financial assistance to State/UT Governments for establishing new Ayush colleges in areas with inadequate availability in the Government Sector.
6. States/UTs can avail this financial assistance by submitting proposals through State Annual Action Plans (SAAPs) within the NAM guidelines.
7. The State Government of Uttarakhand has not submitted any proposal for the establishment of new Ayush Educational Institutes through SAAPs for Financial Year 2026-27.

Prelims pointers

• National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM) and National Commission for Homoeopathy (NCH) are regulatory bodies for Ayush education.
• NCISM and NCH were established by specific Acts in 2020.
• Public Health is a State subject in India.
• National Ayush Mission (NAM) is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme.
• NAM provides financial assistance for establishing new Ayush colleges.

Mains practice question

Examine the role of regulatory bodies and centrally sponsored schemes in promoting traditional medicine systems in India. Discuss the challenges faced by states in leveraging central assistance for health infrastructure development.

Static linkage

This news highlights the federal structure of governance in India, where 'Public Health' is a State subject, yet the Union Government supports it through Centrally Sponsored Schemes like the National Ayush Mission (NAM). It also touches upon the regulatory framework for medical education, specifically for traditional Indian systems of medicine and homoeopathy, through bodies like NCISM and NCH.

Significance

The measures taken by the Ministry of Ayush are significant for standardizing and improving the quality of education in traditional Indian medicine systems. The National Ayush Mission plays a crucial role in addressing infrastructure gaps and promoting equitable access to Ayush education across states, thereby strengthening the Ayush healthcare system. It also underscores the collaborative framework between the Centre and States in public health initiatives, while also revealing potential challenges in proposal submission and implementation at the state level.