Expecting more activities from the Union ministry of Ayush (MoA) towards promotion and globalisation of Ayush systems, the post graduates in traditional medicines with higher education in basic medical sciences and engaged in researches (interdisciplinary Ayush researchers--IDAR) have demanded that they should be given preference for appointment as research officers (RO) in various departments under the Ayush ministry.

With this request, the IDAR fellows will shortly approach the MoA urging it to set aside the posts of ROs under Ayush ministry only for the interdisciplinary graduates.

At the outset, the ministry of Ayush should instruct the Central Research Councils (CCRA, CCRS, CCRU, CCRH, CCRN) to prepare such a list of IDARs in order to utilise their potentials whenever required. The Central Council of Indian Medicine (CCIM) should allow such researchers to register their higher education in modern medicine with the Council. Several Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, Homoeopathy and Naturopathy graduates and post graduates have pursued higher education in basic medical sciences such as anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, pharmacology, microbiology, epidemiology, biostatistics, biotechnology, pharmaceutical biotechnology etc. But either the CCIM or the Research Councils have no list of these interdisciplinary graduates. The CCIM should enlist them under a separate register as ‘interdisciplinary Ayush researchers’, said the IDAR fellows.

Further, they said it would be a better tool for the Ayush ministry to highlight the interdisciplinary approach in the national and international level as part of ‘globalisation of Ayush and digital India’ programme of the Narendra Modi government.

Currently, neither the Ayush ministry nor the CCIM has a specific project for utilising the potential of these Ayush graduates who have additional qualifications in modern medical sciences. The CCIM has also not even enrolled them in their list. If they are enlisted, the ministry can take the list of such candidates from the central council whenever required.

“The interdisciplinary Ayush researchers have knowledge in both the systems, their positive and negative sides. They are sure where the amendments/modifications are to be made or required, how to proceed the research in traditional medicines, how to globalise the Ayush systems etc. They are the better people who can decode traditional medicine into the current scientific language. They have combined knowledge in traditional medicines and modern medical sciences and they could be the best choice for research officers under the Ayush ministry”, commented a senior siddha research officer who had secured higher education in pharmacology of the modern medical science.