The Dawn of Assessment and Rating for Institutions of Indian System of Medicine

Indian system of medicine (ISM) refers to all health sciences that have origin in India or Indian subcontinent. The major health systems are Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, and Sowa Rigpa. India houses nearly 1000 colleges to produce graduates who will be medical doctors of the respective systems. They will be providing care, healing and many other services of healthcare sector. The institutions operate in accordance with the guidelines and norms established by the National Commission of Indian Medicine (NCISM).

Quality has been a mirage in Ayush education. Largely because of the lack of awareness amongst the management and even the heads of institutions. Hence there was a difficulty amongst the students as to choose the best college. The students therefore relied largely on unverified sources like, opinions of senior students, parents or information available on the internet. A feeling was also noticed in general that all the other education streams have a system to identify and select a quality institute, except Ayush. In Ayush sector, a very good college and poor college are in same plane, deriving same fee structure and other recognitions.

Sensing this drawback, the NCISM recently embarked upon quality in its affiliated institutions. They developed a module for assessment and rating. They have tied up with NABET, a National Accreditation Board for Education and Training (Constituent Board of Quality Council of India). In recent years, NABET has expanded its scope of activities and is striving to align its progress with the Quality Council India’s slogan i.e., “Creating an Eco System for Quality”. With the increasing demand for competent personnel and credible vocational training courses across various industry sectors, NABET has been rapidly expanding its range of services to meet the industry’s needs. NABET has implemented a system for the accredited certification of educational institutions, vocational training organizations, and skill certification bodies.

For ISM colleges, assessment and rating have already been implemented following the publication of the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (Minimum Essential Standards, Assessment, and Rating for Undergraduate Ayurveda Colleges and Attached Teaching Hospitals) Regulations, 2024. Based on that, each college has to undergo assessment and rating. Assessment is based on few qualitative and qualitative parameters. Assessment would empower the students to make proper decisions regarding admission. The rating would grade the colleges and assort them into four baskets. Colleges that are excellent will be placed in A grade and will have the luxury of slight enhancement in the fee structure. Good colleges will be placed in B grade and only A and B graded colleges will have the eligibility to start fresh postgraduate courses or apply for enhancement of seats. The institutes merely fulfilling minimum essential standards will be graded as C. They will be allowed to function, while the institutions failing to fulfil minimum standards will be denied permission by allotment to grade D. Hence positive healthy competition will be created amongst the colleges which will help in imparting quality education to students and offering quality health care to the patients. Even though initial hurdles in the implementation and resistance from few institutes can be expected, the NCISM is quite keen on implementing it.