Career in Ayurveda

With the world realizing that allopathic medicines are often enough to restore good health it is reverting to Ayurveda, a system that has evolved over the millenniums. Even the western people are approaching as medical tourists to avail of the various aspects of lifestyle interventions and therapy that Ayurveda offers.

Ayurveda is India's traditional, natural system of medicine that has been practiced for more than 5,000 years. It provides an integrated approach to preventing and treating illness through lifestyle interventions and natural therapies. Ayurvedic theory states that all disease begins with an imbalance or stress in the individual’s consciousness. Lifestyle interventions are a major Ayurvedic preventive and therapeutic approach.

Life, according to Ayurveda, is a combination of senses, mind, body and soul. The medicinal system believes that human beings and nature should be in perfect harmony and that disease occurs when the equilibrium between these two is disrupted. Restoration of this fundamental balance, through the use of nature and its products is the main goal of this medical system.

Apart from herbs, purification and detoxification, dietary changes, body massages and meditation are used to promote health and prevent and treat illness. Ayurvedic medicines are rapidly gaining acceptance all over the world as they have no side effects and is found to have cures for even rare ailments.

Ayurveda has become very popular among the foreign tourists. It is a part of a new movement towards a global medicine that includes the best developments from the whole world. As modern medicine with its strong synthetic chemical drugs fails to combat nature, there is rapid and progressive acceptance of this system. Patients from all over the world are coming to India for Ayurveda treatment. With the popularity of the system the demand for Ayurvedic doctors are on the rise.

Eligibility - The Ayurvedic Colleges of India awards the Degree of "Ayurvedacharya" or B.A.M.S. (Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine & Surgery) at the bachelor level. Duration of B.A.M.S is 5&1/2 years to 6&1/2 years including Internship. 

Eligibility required to join B.A.M.S is Higher Secondary/P.U.C. preferably with Sanskrit or an examination equivalent there to, or Intermediate (Ayurvedic group- Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Sanskrit) of any recognized University/Board which confirms to the specifications approved by the Council. Minimum age of joining for BAMS course is 17 years.

Some institutions also offer certificate courses or pre Ayurvedic courses of 1 year to 2 years. Eligibility needed for such course is S.S.L.C/ Matriculation preferably with Sanskrit or an examination equivalent.

Candidates who have passed BAMS can apply for post graduate programmes. The Post graduate programmers are conducted by many recognized institutions and has a duration of 3 years leading to degrees of Doctor of Medicine in Ayurveda (M.D. (Ayu)) and Master of Surgery in Ayurveda (M.S. (Ayu)).

Candidates who have passed MBBS course recognized by Medical Council of India and have completed one year internship training can also apply for Post Graduate course in Ayurveda.

Job Prospects & Nature of Work:An Ayurvedic practitioner can get employment as medical officer/doctor at government and private Ayurvedic hospitals. One can also start his/ her own practice or open ones own retail shop of Ayurveda medicines. 

They can also find employment as supervisors in 'Panch Karma' (Ayurvedic massage) / health centres, as tutors in Ayurvedic colleges or do research, conduct workshops, seminars and retreats.

The number of Pharmaceutical companies manufacturing Ayurvedic medicines is also increasing. In some of the states in India, it has been made mandatory to appoint at least one Ayurvedic Doctor in every civil hospital.

Remuneration: In government Ayurveda hospitals the starting salary scale is Rs.8000-13500 for BAMS graduates. Tutors in Ayurveda colleges get more than Rs 8000/- per month. In private practice the remuneration depends totally on the effort you put in and your professional reputation.

Institution: Ashwini Ayurvedic Medical College, Davangere, (Karnataka)

Aligarh Unani & Ayurvedic Medical College, Aligarh, (Uttar Pradesh)

Aryakanya Shudha Ayurved Mahavidyalaya, Vadodara, (Gujarat)

Ashtang Ayurveda Mahavidyalaya, Pune, (Maharashtra)

Assam Government Ayurvedic College, Guwahati, (Assam)

Dayanand Ayurvedic College, Jalandhar, (Punjab)

Ayurvedic and Unani Tibbia College, New Delhi, (Delhi)

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