Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy

The Ministry of Ayush, an integral part of the Government of India, holds the responsibility for advancing the education, research, and dissemination of traditional medicine systems within the country. The name "Ayush" is a composite derived from the initial letters of the alternative healthcare systems falling under the purview of the ministry, which encompass Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa Rigpa, and Homeopathy.

The genesis of this ministry can be traced back to the establishment of the Department of Indian Systems of Medicine and Homeopathy (ISM&H) in 1995, operating under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Subsequently, this department underwent a transformation and was renamed the Department of AYUSH. In 2014, the Modi government elevated it to the status of an official ministry.

It is noteworthy, however, that the Ministry of Ayush has faced considerable criticism concerning its financial support for systems that may lack biological plausibility and have not been subjected to rigorous testing or have been definitively proven as ineffective. Furthermore, concerns have been raised regarding the quality of research, with instances of medicines being introduced without comprehensive pharmacological studies and meaningful clinical trials within the realms of Ayurveda and other alternative healthcare systems. These issues have led to allegations of the ministry promoting pseudoscience.  

The successive Five-Year Plans of India, initially formulated by the Planning Commission of India and later by the NITI Aayog, dedicated significant attention to alternative, particularly indigenous, forms of healthcare within the healthcare sector. The Government of India established various committees to enhance the development of the healthcare sector, including the Bhore Committee (1946), the Mudaliar Committee (1961), and the Srivastava Committee (1975). These committees underscored the importance of enhancing traditional systems of Indian medicine.

Subsequent healthcare policies, such as the National Health Policy (1983), the National Education Policy in Health Sciences (1989), and the National Health Policy (2002), further elaborated on the role of the Indian System of Medicine (ISM) and Homeopathy (H). They emphasized these systems as a means to facilitate healthcare access, especially in rural areas where a significant portion of the Indian population lacks adequate health services.