The updated guidelines released on May 1 by the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM) to evaluate and govern the minimum standards and criteria (MSR) applicable to self-supporting Ayurveda educational institutions and their affiliated hospitals will not entirely affect existing institutions in the nation, thereby not impeding their operations.
The NCISM chairman reassured Pharmabiz that any concerns from college administrations will be addressed and resolved with considerable support.
In an online exchange with Pharmabiz, Vaidya Jayant Dev Pujari, the chairman, confirmed receiving a memorandum from the Kerala Ayurveda College Management Association (KISMA), requesting exclusion from the new MSR. A committee has been established by the commission to investigate the situation within current Ayush colleges, with a resolution expected soon.
“The Commission has taken the letter seriously and established a committee to examine the issues. They are currently working on it,” he informed Pharmabiz.
Addressing the applicability of the new regulations to current colleges, he added, “In my opinion, many college administrators in Kerala have either misunderstood or not fully reviewed the new measures. Not all parts are relevant to them, but some regulations do apply,” he specified, noting that the designated committee will resolve these issues and report back to the commission.
KISMA had sent a memorandum in July petitioning for exemption from the new MSR remit. However, KISMA’s president reported no feedback from the NCISM chairman.
The president highlighted the new regulations mandate the recruitment of seven more teaching staff and 20 additional non-teaching staff starting this academic year. Further, each department must be equipped with modern apparatus to elevate educational standards. He described these requirements as notably challenging and worrisome for existing colleges’ administration. According to the Commission, these institutions must also meet these specific MSR norms.
Discussing financial implications, he noted colleges would need to invest over one crore rupees for new equipment across departments, plus an additional Rs. 50 lakh in staff salaries. He stressed that neither the government nor students are amenable to slight fee increases. Therefore, operating under the new mandates could prove challenging. He expressed hope that the NCISM will revise the new MSR to benefit current institutions.
Per the new MSR, an Ayurveda teaching hospital’s minimum bed strength is contingent on admission capacity, such that 50 students annually require a minimum of 100 beds. Mirroring modern medicine institutions, laboratories should feature cutting-edge equipment, and IT specialists should be hired for technical roles. The OP department’s space and classroom seating capacity must also increase.
Additionally, each college must link its website to the Central Council’s site, itself connected to the Ministry’s portal, displaying Out-Patient and In-Patient data.
The NCISM has introduced separate MSRs to oversee undergraduate and postgraduate courses.