The Cabinet has recently approved the draft National Commission for Indian Systems of Medicine (NCIM) Bill, 2018. The aim of this bill is to replace the existing regulatory body, the Central Council for Indian Medicine (CCIM), with a fresh organization to ensure transparency in the field of traditional Indian medicine. This structure mirrors the National Medical Commission Bill which intends to regulate practices within the allopathy medicine system. The new NCIM will work towards ensuring availability of affordable healthcare services across India. Alongside this, the Cabinet has also given a green light to the draft National Commission for Homoeopathy Bill, 2018, with a goal to replace the current Central Council for Homoeopathy.
Salient Features of the Bill
The Bill suggests the formation of a National Commission comprised of four autonomous boards. These boards will be responsible for overseeing the education of Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha & Sowarigpa under the Board of Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and Sowa-Rigpa respectively.
In order to ensure transparency, the bill proposes a common entrance and exit exam that all graduates must pass to obtain their license to practice Indian medicine. Moreover, a teacher’s eligibility test is proposed to assess the standard of teachers prior to their appointment and promotions.
Two common boards are established through the bill. One is the board of assessment and rating, which will assess and grant permission to educational institutions of Indian systems of medicine. The other is the board of ethics and registration of practitioners of Indian systems of medicine, with the aim to maintain a National Register and address ethical issues.
Indian Systems of Medicine
India recognizes six systems of medicinal practices. These include Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, Yoga, Naturopathy, and Homoeopathy. A table below illustrates some facts about these practices:
| Medicine System | Origin |
|---|---|
| Ayurveda | India |
| Siddha | South India |
| Unani | Greece |
| Yoga | India |
| Naturopathy | Germany |
| Homoeopathy | Germany |
The Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH)
The AYUSH ministry was formed on 9th November 2014 to ensure optimal propagation and development of the AYUSH systems of healthcare. Before this, it was known as the Department of Indian System of Medicine and Homeopathy (ISM&H), which was established in March 1995 and later rebranded as AYUSH in November 2003. It is primarily tasked with the development of Education and Research in the areas of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy.
Description of Each System of Medicine:
Unani, a medicinal system originating from Greece, was introduced in India by the Arabs and Persians around the eleventh century. Today, India boasts the highest number of Unani educational, research and health care institutions.
Ayurveda is derived from ‘Áyu’ i.e. life and ‘veda’ i.e. knowledge, therefore this science of life aims to keep structural and functional entities in equilibrium, signifying good health.
The Siddha medicinal system is practiced mostly in South India, especially Tamil Nadu. The term ‘Siddha’ comes from ‘Siddhi’- which means achievement. This refers to the supreme knowledge achieved by Siddhars in the field of medicine, yoga or meditation.
“Sowa-Rigpa” commonly known as Tibetan system of medicine is one of the oldest and well-documented medical traditions of the world, recognized by the Government in 2011. Similarly, Homoeopathy was introduced in India in the 18th Century and takes a holistic approach towards curing diseases.
These traditional medicinal systems, rich in their unique practices and solutions, are an important part of Indian healthcare ecosystem. The NCIM Bill is a major step towards their recognition and regulation, ensuring they can be practiced safely and effectively throughout the country.
