- Why in news
- On 8 October 2026 the Ayush Ministry highlighted findings of the RIS Ayush Service Sector Report, released on Ayurveda Day 2026: women are 43% of the Ayush services workforce.
- What it is
- The Ayush Service Sector Report is a study by RIS (Research and Information System for Developing Countries) on the Ayush services economy. It covers Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa and Homoeopathy. It measures size, revenue segments, jobs and medical value travel.
- Publisher
- The report is a study by RIS, released on Ayurveda Day 2026.
- Sector size
- Ayush services were worth US$36.92 billion in FY2024-25, growing at 16.91% CAGR since FY2022-23.
- Women in workforce
- Women are 43% of the workforce, and above 50% in hospitals, day-care centres, educational institutes and wellness establishments.
- 2047 projection
- The sector is projected to reach US$216-318 billion by 2047.
Don’t confuse with RIS vs NITI Aayog: RIS is an autonomous think tank on international economic issues backed by the Ministry of External Affairs. It is not a government planning body like NITI Aayog.
Reports and indices: 14 Prelims questions since 2013; they test who publishes a report and what it measures.
Why it matters
- Ayush services create jobs, with 1.76 million livelihoods and high women's participation, supporting inclusive growth.
- Medical value travel brings foreign exchange and supports India's health-tourism and soft-power goals.
Problems
- More than one million livelihoods are in local standalone clinics, which are small and often unorganised, so quality and standards vary.
- Growth depends on skilling, digital infrastructure and quality standards, which the Secretary himself flagged as needs.
Way forward
- Expand organised establishments backed by quality standards, skilling and digital infrastructure.
- Promote Ayush medical value travel and wellness while raising standards to build trust.
Put in your answer
Women's workforce share: Women are 43% of the Ayush services workforce. This can be cited as an example of women's economic participation in services.
Employment data: The sector directly supports about 1.76 million livelihoods.
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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: Report with figures on women's share and sector size. Routine sector data; reports are only 14 of 327 Prelims questions and few are on such sector studies.
Worth revising until Prelims 2028: most news questions come within two years of the event.