- Why in news
- On 20 March 2026, the Minister of State (IC) for Ayush told the Lok Sabha how Ayush systems are being integrated with modern medicine, mainly through co-location and the National Ayush Mission (NAM).
- What it is
- The National Ayush Mission (NAM) is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme of the Ministry of Ayush. It gives States/UTs money for Ayush hospitals, dispensaries, colleges, drugs and health centres. It works with the National Health Mission so that patients can choose between Ayush and modern medicine at the same facility.
- Co-location strategy
- Ayush facilities are placed inside PHCs, CHCs and District Hospitals, giving patients a choice of medicine systems under one window.
- Shared responsibility
- MoHFW pays for Ayush doctors, paramedics and training under NHM. Ministry of Ayush pays for infrastructure, equipment and medicines under NAM.
- How NAM works
- NAM is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme run through States/UTs. Aid is given against State Annual Action Plans (SAAPs).
- Ayush Vertical
- A dedicated mechanism under DGHS, set up by the Ministry of Ayush and MoHFW, plans, monitors and supervises Ayush public health programmes.
- International Cooperation scheme
- A central sector scheme backs Ayush exports and academic chairs abroad. It has 27 country-to-country MoUs, 16 Ayush Chair MoUs and 54 institute-level MoUs.
- MDNIY and WHO
- Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga is a WHO Collaborating Centre for Traditional Medicine (Yoga), in its fourth consecutive term from 2013.
Don’t confuse with NAM vs NHM: NHM (Health Ministry) funds Ayush doctors, paramedics and training. NAM (Ayush Ministry) funds Ayush infrastructure, equipment and medicines.
Don’t confuse with NAM vs IC Scheme: NAM is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme implemented through States/UTs. The International Cooperation scheme is a central sector scheme aimed at exports and global recognition.
Schemes: 52 Prelims questions since 2013, 10 in Prelims 2026 alone. They test features, the period and who funds it. In Mains, 33 news-triggered questions, mostly GS3.
Why it matters
- Co-location widens patient choice and brings Ayush into primary care, supporting access at the grassroots.
- Shared NHM-NAM funding links Ayush to the public health system and avoids parallel structures.
Problems
- Integration depends on State action plans, so uptake can differ across States and capacity can be uneven.
- Evidence on safety and efficacy of Ayush treatments must be proven through research and trials before wide integration.
Way forward
- Expand integrated research and clinical trials, such as those at AIIMS and Safdarjung, to build evidence.
- Strengthen staffing and drug supply at co-located facilities, and monitor them through the Ayush Vertical.
Put in your answer
Integrated departments: Departments of Integrative Medicine operate at Safdarjung Hospital (with Vardhman Mahavir Medical College) and Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi.
AI-ACIHR: ICMR and CCRAS are setting up the Ayush-ICMR Advanced Centre for Integrative Health Research at AIIMS.
Ayushman Arogya Mandir (Ayush): NAM upgrades Ayush dispensaries and sub health centres into Ayushman Arogya Mandir (Ayush), the renamed Ayush Health and Wellness Centres.
- 2019Mains GS3 · Q15How India protects traditional medicine knowledge from pharmaceutical patenting.
- 2013Mains GS2 · Q12Critically evaluate restructuring of centrally sponsored schemes for vulnerable sections.
- 2018Mains GS2 · Q7Role of local community-level healthcare in achieving Health for All.
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: National Ayush Mission and co-location of Ayush at PHCs, CHCs and DHs are lasting scheme facts, but the reply is a long list.
Worth revising until Prelims 2027: most news questions come within two years of the event.