Ayurveda education reforms in India

Ayurveda education in India has undergone several transitions till 1970, when the Central Council for Indian Medicine (CCIM) was constituted by an Act of Parliament. This resulted in uniform curriculum for Ayurveda education at the national level. The national health policies thus far have generally favored modern medicine while traditional systems of medicine have remained marginalized in the country of their origin. The Ayurveda system has not yet become the mainstream in India. It does not coexist with modern medicine as traditional medicine exists in China. Although Ayurveda graduates play an important role in public health delivery system, their formal training in basic diagnosis and clinical skills are supposedly limited [1]. The theoretical and textbook based teaching needs to be transformed into more practical bedside training on par with developments in medicine. The present situation inmedical education and especially that of Ayurvedic education in India resembles that in the United States before the publication of the Flexner Commission's landmark report. The report highlighted the importance of creating physician scientists and not just clinicians. Even Ayurveda physicians need to be educated both as clinicians and as scientists (‘Vaidya-Scientists’) where traditional and modern pedagogies are balanced [2]. The current Ayurveda education system needs to reinforce its Shastra base on one side while keeping pace with the developments in modern science and technology and ensuring a strong link between research and teaching. Classical Indian method of education, which is applicable to Ayurveda also, involves four levels. Adhiti is the first level when information is collected and absorbed. This is followed by Bodha, which involves understanding and internalization of knowledge. The next level is Acharana, which means application of the knowledge and its practice. After mastering the three levels, one is supposed to be capable for Pracharana, which involves preaching, teaching, advocacy and dissemination of knowledge. The current problem in Ayurveda education becomes serious as teachers often tend to teach without sufficient understanding and clinical experience. The CCIM approach of permitting hundreds of new colleges without sufficient infrastructure and teachers has resulted in diploma mills producing thousands of inadequately equipped Ayurvedic graduates and post-graduates. The CCIM's uniform curriculum approach has adversely impacted traditional pedagogy and shifted the focus from classical Gurukula to colleges and