Government gives nod to open 18 Ayurveda colleges to promote traditional practice

With an aim to encourage and promote traditional wellness practice, the Union Government has given approval to open 18 new Ayurveda colleges in Uttar Pradesh (UP), Maharashtra and Rajasthan.

Reportedly, UP will receive seven colleges, Maharashtra will get three and Rajasthan will receive remaining six colleges under the aegis of Ayush ministry, in-charge of Ayurveda, yoga, naturopathy, unani, siddha and homeopathy.

Significantly, out of the proposed 30 new colleges, the then government had given permission to open only one college last year. Also, no permission was given between the years 2011 and 2012.

However, the new government has consider the proposal and notified National Ayush Mission (NAM) in September 2014, noting that Ayush infrastructure is far from satisfactory despite the industry being poorly regulated.

Besides, offering quality drugs by increasing pharmacies, laboratories and improved enforcement mechanism, NAM targets to improve Ayush education and offer better access to its service through increase in number of Ayush hospitals and dispensaries.

A source unveiled, "On one hand many Ayush education centres are in poor shape and on the other, lack of quality control often makes people suspect the practitioners and quality of drugs they provide.”

Moreover, the BJP government has set up a committee to promote ‘holistic health’ and recommended reforms in medical education, research and legal framework, pitching for integration of Ayurveda, yoga and other traditional forms of treatment.

Currently, there are 281 Ayurveda colleges in the country, offering 15,057 graduate and 3,081 post-graduate seats. The Central Government is also in talks with states to improve legislative framework to regulate Ayush practitioners and drugs.