Hyderabad: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has introduced a new subject, Ayurveda Biology, which will benefit students studying Ayurveda as part of their academic courses.
On Thursday, UGC announced that it had reviewed the recommendations made by an expert committee in a meeting held on June 25. As a result, it was decided that Ayurveda Biology would be added as an additional subject for the UGC-NET exam starting from December 2024.
UGC Chairman, Prof Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar, told The Hans India that this new subject would help promote a deeper understanding of Ayurveda in an interdisciplinary manner. He explained that as people are becoming more aware of natural and holistic healthcare approaches, Ayurveda is gaining popularity as an alternative to allopathic medicine. This has led to rapid growth in the sector.
Prof Kumar also mentioned that Ayurveda is increasingly being combined with modern healthcare systems. He stressed the importance of understanding Ayurveda through the lens of contemporary science.
Ayurveda-Biology is a discipline that aims to study India’s rich traditional knowledge of Ayurveda and related sciences using modern biological science perspectives. According to Prof Kumar, introducing Ayurveda-Biology in the UGC-NET exam will encourage students to explore ancient Sanskrit texts on Ayurveda and integrate this knowledge with modern biological studies. This will pave the way for a more holistic and sustainable model for research and education.
Prof Kumar further added that students who complete a PhD in Ayurveda-Biology will have the opportunity to join universities to conduct research and train future students in this field.
Students interested in pursuing Ayurvedic research can check the syllabus for Ayurveda Biology on the UGC-NET website at www.ugcnetonline.in.
