New Delhi: The Ministry of AYUSH has established a total of 155 new colleges in three academic years—2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19 —out of which 119 colleges have been opened in Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Uttarakhand. AYUSH stands for Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy.
As per data of the Ministry of AYUSH, in the last three years, UP alone has witnessed the opening of 43 AYUSH colleges, while with 32 new AYUSH colleges, Gujarat ranks second position in the list. Karnataka has got 18, Mahrashtra 16 and Uttarakhand 10 new Ayush colleges.
A section of experts have said that the reason behind the highest number of AYSUH colleges being opened in UP is linked with the state’s “backward modern healthcare system”. The lack of modern healthcare infrastructure has forced individuals to turn towards alternative medicines. Dr Nitin Kaura, former senior resident doctor of Deen Dayal Upadhayay (DDU) hospital, said: “The usefulness of alternative medicines is yet to be proved. We are not sure how helpful these medicines are in cases of even simple viral fever; so in my opinion, the backwardness of the modern healthcare system has helped in the mushrooming of AYUSH centers in several pockets.”
“If we ensure proper modern medical facilities to our citizens, I am sure no one will choose the option of alternative medicines. However, Ayurveda has some good ways of healing illness, most of the other modes of alternative medicines are struggling with poor standards,” Kaura said.
However, Hitesh Chandra of the AYUSH centre at RML Hospital, has questioned the logic of experts who link the growth of AYUSH colleges with “backward healthcare facilities”. “States like Bihar, Assam and Odisha are the most backward states in terms of healthcare, but these states have not shown any interest towards alternative medicines. As per the same Ministry of AYUSH data, not a single college was opened in the last three years in Assam, Bihar and Odisha,” he said.
“India has a tradition of healing through alternative medicines, and there is no wrong in preserving and promoting our age-old traditions of healthcare. We expect that the Central government is able to set up at least one AYUSH centre in every hospital of the country, along with separate arrangements of AYUSH colleges,” Chandra said.
The Ministry of AYUSH’s data reveals that out of total 155 AYUSH colleges, 105 are Ayurveda, 39 are Homoeopathy and nine are Unani. A total of 40 new proposals are awaiting the nod of the Ministry of AYUSH.
Currently, there are 622 AYUSH colleges, out of which 338 are Ayurveda and as many as 201 are homoeopathy colleges. AYUSH colleges are approved by the ministry only after they fulfill minimum standard requirements such as having the required number of staff.
The Ministry of AYUSH was formed on 9 November 2014 to ensure optimal development and propagation of AYUSH systems of healthcare. Earlier, it was known as the Department of Indian System of Medicine and Homoeopathy (ISM&H) which was created in March 1995 and renamed as Department of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) in November 2003, with focused attention for development of education and research in Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy.