Parliament Question: Consideration of AYUSH System of Health Education

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AYUSH LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2118 ANSWERED ON 12.12.2025 Consideration of AYUSH System of Health Education

2118. Shri Imran Masood:

Will the Minister of AYUSH

be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has considered including AYUSH systems as part of health education in schools and if so, the details thereof;

(b) the number of schools in which it has been initially implemented in this regard; and

(c) whether the Government has developed teaching material for this, if so, the details thereof? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE (IC) MINISTRY OF AYUSH (SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV)

(a) The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education has developed a Physical Education and Well-Being textbooks for preparatory and middle stages "Khel Yoga" and "Khel Yatra". Yoga is an unit mentioned in the textbook for all stages. The NCERT promotes yoga by organising the National Yoga Olympiad since 2016 that focuses on holistic health for all children. The Yoga Olympiad has received encouraging response from students of the middle and secondary stages. The school children from all States/UTs and National Bodies i.e. Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti

(NVS), Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS), Central Board of Secondary Education

(CBSE), Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE), Vidya Bharati and Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS) along with four Regional Institute of Education (RIES) of NCERT. However, the NCERT has been organising capacity building programmes in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for key resource persons to disseminate the modules to teacher educators and teachers to train school ambassadors on preventing and promotive measures to achieve health and well-being of all students.

The NCERT Science Textbooks for Classes VI–VIII (Curiosity series) include chapters and sections that incorporate Ayurvedic principles, such as daily and seasonal routines (Dinacharya and Ritucharya), diet, health, and the balance between body, mind, and environment. The initiative aims to provide students with a scientific understanding of traditional Indian knowledge systems and promote healthconsciousness. Knowledge Traditions and Practices of India (Class 11 & 12 optional textbook), for senior secondary students includes a chapter, or sections within a

chapter, that introduce the history and fundamental concepts of Ayurveda, framing it within the context of India's traditional knowledge heritage.

(b) Approximately 28,000 CBSE schools across India have been mandated to use these new textbooks already for the academic year 2025-2026. State Board schools in several states have already started integrating Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) content into their school education.

(c) The NCERT textbooks have systematically incorporated Ayurveda components from the 6th to 8th standards. NCERT has also developed Training and Resource Material on Health and Wellness of School-going children under the aegis of Ayushman Bharat.

This material is developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. All the eleven modules that are: - Growing up Health, Emotional Well-being and Mental Health, Interpersonal Relationships, Values and Responsible Citizenship, Gender Equality, Nutrition, Health and Sanitation, Prevention and Management of Substance Misuse, Promotion of Healthy Lifestyle, Reproductive Health and HIV Prevention, Safety and Security against Violence and Injuries, Promotion of Safe Use of Internet, Gadgets and Media. The thrust of these modules are on achieving holistic physical and mental wellbeing of adolescent children in the age-group of 10 to 19 years.

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