Lack of appropriately skilled graduates in Ayurveda system is emerging as a complex challenge today to the growth of traditional Ayurveda treatment system, especially to the future of classical formulations in the segment, according to a letter sent to the Union minister of Ayush by the Ayurvedic Medicine Manufacturers Organisation of India, (AMMOI)

The letter, written by Dr D Ramanathan, former executive committee member of the Central Council of Indian Medicine (CCIM) and the general secretary of AMMOI, says that the primary reason for the shortage of skill among Ayurveda graduates is due to lack of industry-academia relation during their course of study.

In order to resolve this complex problem, the new curriculum committee under CCIM should consider the possibility of bridging the gap between industry and institutions. Also, specific direction should come from the side of the Ayush ministry to the curriculum committee to find ways to bridge the skill gap as mandatory, he says.

Representing the industry organisation, Dr  Ramanathan highlights this burning problem of lack of industrial skill among Ayurveda professionals. Because of this, the classical formulations cannot be prepared properly as per principles. He wanted the central minister to give adequate significance to industry-academia relations in the curriculum and frame the syllabus in such a way that helps fill the skill gap which is threatening the sustainability of the industry.

“In order to accomplish the vision of the Acharyas in ancient Ayurveda, the curriculum of the course must be made suitable to its overall growth. The system has been surviving all these years, and it must continue to be so. We are all brought up through a line of keeping industry-academia cooperation. Though changes were made to the curriculum three times earlier, the existing syllabus and course of study is not proper for bringing up a full-fledged Ayurveda physician. A major portion of the present syllabus is allopathic subjects. The graduates coming out of Ayurveda colleges today are incapable of properly preparing a classical drug. Each year hundreds of BAMS graduates are coming out of various colleges from across the country, but very few of them can be considered employable. So, this is the time for the government to take steps to systematically address all the issues in the educational sector,” he said while speaking to Pharmabiz.

Further, AMMOI wanted the Union Ayush ministry to constitute a committee of resource persons to provide support in the form of professional and industrial expertise in manufacturing and prescribing classical medicines which are commonly sold as generic drugs. These persons can be invited for giving talk or lecture on various topics related to formulation development and its various stages. Apart from practice, the graduates must be aware of manufacturing, marketing and other technical matters in connection with the modern industry.

Among various comprehensive suggestions to develop the system of ayurvedic education, the industry organisation, headquartered in Thrissur in Kerala, wants the Union government to direct the new curriculum committee to focus on classical medicines and classical texts rather than giving significance to proprietary drugs. Raising concern over the future of genuine generic drugs of traditional system, Dr Ramanathan’s letter to the health ministry and to the Ayush ministry say that the allopathic portions from the syllabus must be removed and more classical topics must be put in place.