NCERT, UGC collaborate to integrate Ayurveda into health education curriculum in schools, colleges

NEW DELHI: The government aims to integrate Ayurveda into the health education curriculum in schools and colleges, Ayush Minister Prataprao Jadhav said. He said that the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) and the University Grants Commission (UGC) are working together to prepare course modules for school education and higher education so that the younger generation can connect with the principles of holistic health.

Some states, such as Goa, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh, have already integrated the Indian knowledge system in school education, Jadhav said. "Discussions are underway with NCERT and UGC for preparing course modules for the school education and higher education," the minister told PTI recently.

On efforts being made to establish Ayurveda on a global level, Jadhav said that the Ayush Ministry is focusing on evidence-based research. High-quality clinical trials are being conducted through Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) and other research institutions. In partnership with WHO, standards are being set to further strengthen the scientific credibility of Ayurvedic treatments, Jadhav said.

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On the competition between modern medicine and Indian healing practices, Jadhav said that the goal is to develop an integrated healthcare model. "Allopathy and AYUSH systems are complementary to each other, not competitors. Through the National AYUSH Mission and AYUSH Grid, we are working towards combining the benefits of both systems to provide better and more comprehensive healthcare services," he stated.

AYUSH system

As part of the government's policy to strengthen public health infrastructure, under the National AYUSH Mission , AYUSH doctors are being deployed in Health and Wellness Centres, especially in rural and remote areas, to make primary healthcare services more accessible. The Ministry of AYUSH has given a new identity to India's traditional medical practices in the last decade, the minister said. "We have not only established AYUSH systems with scientific evidence, but also succeeded in spreading them to the masses and gaining global acceptance.

"From giving Yoga a global identity to the establishment of the WHO Global Center for Traditional Medicine, and through initiatives like International Yoga Day, AYUSH Chairs, and international Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs), we have made historic achievements for global holistic health," he said.

He stressed that the government's priority is balanced and equal development. The ministry is giving everyone equal opportunities by preserving the uniqueness of each system, while promoting modern research, standardisation, and education. Through the National AYUSH Mission (NAM), AYUSH health centres and medicinal gardens are being developed across the country.