Ayush institutions

The Ministry of Ayush has established a comprehensive nationwide regulatory and institutional framework to strengthen Ayush systems through many national institutes and research councils. Under the Ministry of Ayush, 11 national institutes are functioning as apex centres of excellence, offering undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral education in various Ayush systems. There are two statutory councils for the regulation of Ayush education, the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine and the National Commission for Homoeopathy. Health care services are provided by Ayush doctors in government institutions, hospitals, health centres and dispensaries, as well as in private clinics and hospitals. Further, five research councils are engaged in evidence-based research in their respective Ayush systems. Their research activities include clinical, pharmacological and fundamental studies, as well as drug standardization, medicinal plant research and validation of classical formulations, thereby contributing to the scientific advancement and global recognition of Ayush systems.

The Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Medicine & Homoeopathy develops pharmacopoeial standards and formularies for Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homoeopathy drugs and functions as the central drug testing and appellate laboratory. Drug manufacture, quality, distribution and sale are regulated under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, with mandatory adherence to Good Manufacturing Practices. A three-tier pharmacovigilance programme monitors adverse drug reactions and misleading advertisements, reinforcing quality assurance and public trust in traditional health care.

Through various schemes, the Ministry of Ayush is expanding the reach and impact of Ayush systems across multiple domains, including public health, digitalization, research and development, global outreach, public awareness, conservation of medicinal plants, regulatory strengthening, and the promotion of quality and standards of Ayush medicines.

There has been significant collaboration between the Ministry of Ayush and the World Health Organization (WHO):

• Establishment of the Global Traditional Medicine Centre, Jamnagar
• Signing of the International Classification of Health Interventions (ICHI) Memorandum of Understanding
• Traditional medicine chapter of ICD-11(International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision)
• Focus Group on Artificial Intelligence for Health (FG-AI4H)
• ⁠WHO benchmarks for the practice of Ayurveda.

The Ministry of Ayush has been pioneering the integration of Artificial Intelligence in Traditional Medicine through the Ayush Grid, fostering innovation, research and global collaboration. As a key topic driver in WHO’s Global Initiative on AI for Health (GI-AI4H), the Ministry’s efforts were recognized in the WHO’s 2025 technical brief on AI in Traditional Medicine. Key initiatives include the Centre of Excellence in AyurTech at Indian Institute of Technology, Jodhpur; AI-driven tools like chatbots for literature, yoga, and investment guidance; and ongoing projects such as AI-powered wellness apps, research portals, and predictive systems for health care and asset mapping.