Parliament Question: Promotion of AYUSH Entrepreneurship

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AYUSH LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2480 TO BE ANSWERED ON 13.02.2026 Promotion of AYUSH Entrepreneurship †2480. Shri Ajay Bhatt: Will the Minister of AYUSH be pleased to state: (a) whether any plans have been proposed to promote the AYUSH sector for the development of AYUSH entrepreneurship in the country; (b) if so, the details thereof, State/UT-wise, particularly in Uttarakhand; (c) whether any proposal has been prepared to engage the youth and scientists in nation building opportunities in various fields like research, innovation, management, medicine and higher education; and (d) if so, the details thereof? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE (IC) OF THE MINISTRY OF AYUSH (SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV) (a) and (b) The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), through its autonomous organisation, the National Institute for Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development (NIESBUD), has undertaken various initiatives to promote entrepreneurship development in the Ayush sector across different States of the country. NIESBUD signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), an autonomous body under the Ministry of Ayush on 17.10.2024 to foster entrepreneurship and innovation in the field of Ayurveda. Also NIESBUD, in collaboration with IIM Lucknow Enterprise Incubation Centre (IIML-EIC) has conducted the 3-day pre-incubation training programme aimed at promoting innovation and entrepreneurship in the Ayush sector. The Institute has organised three pre-incubation training programmes and imparted training to a total of 93 participants under the initiative, including three participants from Uttarakhand. The state wise details are enclosed as Annexure I. 1All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), New Delhi has set up an incubation centre i.e. All India Institute of Ayurveda-Incubation Centre for Ayurveda Innovation and Entrepreneurship (AIIA-iCAINE) to nucleate a cluster of new age ventures and to promote entrepreneurship leveraging the academic knowledge. The Ayurveda Startup Grand Challenge is designed to promote innovation and entrepreneurship in the Ayush sector. The key stakeholders involved are the Ministry of Ayush, AIIA and Start Up India. Grants and financial assistance are provided to startups that present innovative solutions and products in the Ayush sector. Startups get opportunities to connect with potential investors, industry leaders, and other entrepreneurs through various events and workshops. Winners and promising startups receive recognition which can enhance their credibility and market visibility. Fiscal incentives in the form of cash prizes are provided to the first three toppers. (c) and (d) Yes, several initiatives have been taken to engage youth and scientists in nation- building opportunities in the fields of research, innovation, management, medicine and higher education through National Institutes and Research Councils under the Ministry of Ayush (MoA). Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) a research council under MoA has undertaken several initiatives to promote Ayurveda among the youth and encourage research and innovation. The Council disseminates Ayurvedic knowledge through electronic and print media in English, Hindi, and regional languages. It actively participates in National/State-level Arogya Melas, health camps, exhibitions and outreach programs such as the Scheduled Caste Sub-Plan (SCSP) Research Program and the Tribal Health Care Research Program (THCRP). Additionally, CCRAS website serves as a repository of IEC materials and is hyperlinked to other relevant platforms for wider accessibility. To nurture research and to motivate Ayurveda students to pursue research as a career, inculcate research aptitude, and establish a foundation for high-quality research in Ayurveda, CCRAS is implementing the following programs: i. Studentship Programme for Ayurveda Research Ken (SPARK): Financial support to Ayurveda undergraduates to promote interest and aptitude for research. ii. Ayush Ph.D. Fellowship: Fellowship support for research scholars. 2iii. Post-Doctoral Fellowship (PDF): Support for advanced Ayurveda research. iv. SMART Programme: Facilitating integrative research between Ayurveda academia and tertiary care hospitals. v. CCRAS-AGNI (2023-24): Promoting evidence-based validation of Ayurveda practices in five categories, including treatment, formulations, and instruments. Also the Ayush educational institutions offer undergraduate (UG) postgraduate (PG) and doctoral (Ph.D.) programmes to strengthen higher education, advanced research, and academic excellence in the field of Ayush systems of medicine. The National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM) Act, 2020 and the National Commission for Homoeopathy (NCH) Act, 2020 were enacted in September 2020 to ensure robust regulation and standardisation of Ayush education. The NCISM regulates education and practice in Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Sowa-Rigpa systems of medicine, while the NCH regulates Homoeopathy education and practice. Aligning Ayush education with the objectives of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, these Commissions are promoting transparency, efficiency and student-centric education at an unprecedented scale, thereby strengthening quality assurance and academic excellence across the Ayush sector. 3Annexure I S.No. State No. of Participants 1 Uttar Pradesh 10 2 Delhi 6 3 Uttarakhand 3 4 Punjab 5 5 Madhya Pradesh 5 6 Gujarat 9 7 Kerala 8 8 Maharashtra 16 9 Karnataka 18 10 Odisha 1 11 Goa 5 12 Meghalaya 1 13 Andhra Pradesh 1 14 Tamil Nadu 5 Total 93 ******** 4