New MBBS syllabus offers AYUSH as option

The new syllabus received final approval from the BoG last month and will be implemented from August, when the new academic session (2019-20) begins. The 3-month module will be designed by Ayush ministry.

Published on: Feb 16, 2019, 07:37:41 IST

New Delhi | By Rhythma Kaul

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Undergraduate medical students will be given the option of choosing Ayush (ayurveda, yoga and naturopathy, unani, siddha and homoeopathy) systems as an elective subject from the 2019-20 academic year, a top functionary of the board of governors that oversees medical colleges said. The initiative is aimed at introducing future doctors to alternative systems of medicine,

Undergraduate medical students will be given the option of choosing Ayush from 2019-20 academic year. Photo by Deepak Sansta / Hindustan Times (HT Photo)

The government had in September 2018 dissolved the Medical Council of India and constituted the board of governors (BoG) to supersede the medical regulator. The new syllabus received final approval from the BoG last month and will be implemented from August, when the new academic session (2019-20) begins. The 3-month module will be designed by Ayush ministry.

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“It is to give a hang of the alternative systems of medicine to the students of allopathy. Ayush systems can play a great role in promoting preventive health. However, it will not be mandatory for medical students,” said Dr V K Paul, chairman, BoG. “The students will get to visit Ayush hospitals, attend outpatient departments (OPDs), etc,” he added.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rhythma Kaul
Rhythma Kaul is the national health editor of the Hindustan Times. She has been reporting on public health, medicine, and medical research, with a particular focus on how government decisions and health system reforms shape people’s lives. Rhythma has over 25 years of journalistic experience. She joined Hindustan Times in 2008, and has since covered everything from pandemics and infectious diseases to cutting‑edge medical research and climate‑related health challenges. Her stories routinely track the work of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, department of pharmaceuticals, and key national health programmes, making complex medical science and policy accessible to a wide audience. One of her prominent news breaks has been the 2012 Baby Falak case: A two-year-old brutally battered baby girl was admitted to AIIMS-Delhi with severe head injuries, multiple fractures, human bite marks, and burns. The police investigation revealed this to be a case of multi-state human-trafficking racket. She was profiled by The Wall Street Journal for breaking this story. Rhythma holds a Master’s degree from Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi. Prior to Hindustan Times, she worked with the India Today Group. Rhythma can be contacted at rhythma.kaul@hindustantimes.com. Her X handle is @RamblingBrook.Read More