Parliament passes ‘Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda Bill, 2020’

Parliament has passed the Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda Bill, 2020 with Rajya Sabha approving it today. The Lok Sabha has already passed the bill. The bill seeks to establish an Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda and declare it an Institute of National importance.

The bill also has the provision to merge three Ayurveda institutes situated in Jamnagar, Gujarat into one. The institutes are, the Institute of Post-Graduate Teaching and Research in Ayurveda, Shree Gulabkunverba Ayurved Mahavidyalaya and the Indian Institute of Ayurvedic Pharmaceutical Sciences. The proposed Institute will be situated in the campus of Gujarat Ayurved University, Jamnagar.

Replying to discussion, Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan said, the government is committed to promote the ancient medicine system including Ayurveda. He said, Ayush Ministry has initiated the process to give deemed university status to all its national institutes.

On members’ questions, why Jamnagar Institute has been selected for making an institute of national importance, the Minister said, it has been chosen in an objective manner as Jamnagar institutes are oldest Ayurveda institutes.

Earlier, participating in the discussion, TMC MP Dr Santunu Sen questioned the bill saying it is in contradiction of New Education Policy. Prof. Ramgopal Yadav of Samajwadi Party demanded the Centre to provide more assistance to states to ensure better availability of medicines in the hospitals.

M. Shanmugam of DMK wanted to know about the parameters to give the status of national importance to the institute. M. Thambi Durai of AIADMK demanded to give status of national importance to the National Institute of Siddha in Tamil Nadu. K.K. Ragesh of CPI (M) demanded to set up an institute of national importance in Ayurveda in Kerala.

While supporting the bill, Prashant Nanda of BJD said, the world is looking towards India for quality education in the field of Ayurveda. Dr K Keshava Rao of TRS, Vijayasai Reddy of YSR Congress, Manoj Jha of RJD, Veer Singh of BSP also participated in the discussio