Ayurveda Internship Rules Tightened, Fake Attendance To Attract ₹5–10 Lakh Fine, Suspension And Degree Cancellation Under NCISM Norms

The National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM) has tightened rules surrounding Ayurveda internships in an effort to combat fake attendance and protect the integrity of Ayurvedic education. Under the new NCISM norms, any student found guilty of providing false attendance information during their one-year internship can face severe consequences.

These penalties include fines ranging from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh, suspension from the program for a period of one to three years, and even cancellation of their undergraduate degree.

To ensure the authenticity of internships, the commission has implemented strict attendance guidelines. Students must maintain regular attendance at their affiliated hospitals throughout the internship period, which is mandatory following the four-and-a-half-year Ayurvedacharya (BAMS) course and adds an additional one-and-a-half years to the total duration of the Ayurveda undergraduate degree, making it five-and-a-half years in total. During this one-year internship, students are entitled to 12 days of leave.

Attendance will be recorded and validated using the same methods employed for teaching, non-teaching, and hospital staff. Dr Rakesh Pandey, the national spokesperson for the AYUSH Medical Association, emphasized the importance of both institutions and students working together to ensure accurate attendance records are maintained for the proper maintenance of attendance records.