NEET Efforts on to upgrade AYUSH Education

Mangaluru: The Ayush Department’s decision to make National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) compulsory for admission to Indian System of Medicine courses is part of its effort to upgrade Ayurveda, Unani, Sidda and Homoeopathy education, stressed Union Minister of State for AYUSH, Shripad Yesso Naik recently .

Inaugurating a 100 bed Sharada Ayurveda Hospital in Devinagar near Talapady, Mr Naik said NEET was being made compulsory in all states because the Ayush department wanted the meritorious to become part of the Indian medicine study courses, reported The Hindu.

Primary health centres and urban health centres of states will be receiving support from the centre, in the opening of Ayush units added the minister. The Ministry is working on plans to open more integrated treatment centres which will provide treatment under the allopathy and Indian systems of medicine.

Minister for Urban Development and Housing, U.T. Khader was of the opinion that the Indian System of Medicine had been facing neglect for quite a while. He said that the situation was slowly undergoing change with demand for doctors practising Ayurveda, Homoeopathy, Unani, Sidda and Naturopathy- slowly rising.

Mr Khader also requested Mr Naik to help the State in opening more colleges teaching these courses.