Talking about medicine in India and not considering the ancient but effective domains of treatment will be a great injustice. India has a great history of healing and implementation of medications using the more nature oriented forms of treatment like Ayurveda, Unani, Homeopathy etc.

When you dream of becoming a doctor, there comes a wide range of courses that may help to transform your dream into reality and take you on a journey towards a bright future.

AYUSH COURSES are one such way of accomplishing your dreams and turning the thoughts of owning a white apron into reality.

The ministry of AYUSH is headed by a Minister of State, currently held by Shripad Yesso Naik.

AYUSH COURSES aren’t confined to just Ayurveda. There is a lot more to them.

AYUSH COURSES are categorised as follows :

• Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS):

It is a UG programme that deals with the use of ayurveda and it’s healing process. It also adds the information of modern medicine to a student’s knowledge. The traces of the oldest way of healing dating back to the Vedic era, are of AYURVEDA. It is basically based on the process of self healing. The biggest health organization ‘WHO’ promotes it.

Students having curiosity for the exploration in medicine, open big door of opportunities for them by opting to pursue BAMS.

Admission process : One must appear for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) and qualify it. Admission to BAMS course is through a centralised counselling based on the NEET merit list.

Cut off : Ranges between 350-490+ (General category), 330-490+ (OBC category), 280-350+ (SC category), 220-340+ (ST category).

Top colleges:

1. Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi.
2. Shri Guru Gobind Singh Tricentenary University, Gurgaon, Haryana.
3. Patanjali Ayurved College, Haridwar.
4. Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi.
5. Tilak Ayurved Mahavidyalaya, Pune.

Average fee: INR 25,000 – 3.2 lakh per annum.

• Bachelor of Homeopathic Medicine and Surgery (BHMS) :

5 years of academics offers a UG in homeopathic medicine & surgery. The base of this learning is “Healing is an internal process, can’t be done externally.” The medicine is composed of the products directly brought from the nature’s lap. It is mandatory for students to undertake the internships at hospitals which makes it a course of total duration 5.5 years.

Admission process– Majority of colleges take admission on the basis of results of 10+2. Some take entrances & for some other colleges, clearing the entrance exam is followed by group discussions or personal interviews. NEET Entrance Exam, PU CET, Common Entrance Test, AP Entrance Examination are some of the entrance examinations.

Cutoff (NEET):

Though there is a yearly variation in the cutoff marks depending upon the college you want to get into, depending on your domicile state to get assured seat, one’s marks should cross a minimum benchmark of 400 marks.

Top colleges:

1. Swarrnim Startup & Innovation University, Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
2. Government Medical College and Hospital, Chandigarh, Punjab.
3. Sanskriti University, Mathura.
4. Shri Guru Nanak Dev Homeopathic Medical college, Ludhiana.

Average fees:

Govt. : INR 20,000 – 50,000/- per annum.

Private : INR 1,00,000-3,00,000/- per annum.

• Bachelor of Naturopathy and Yoga Sciences (BNYS):

It’s a 4.5 years UG course for the study of Integrative medicine which includes both modern and traditional (naturopathy) art of healing.

Completion of a Compulsory Rotatory Residential Internship of 1-year duration is a must.

Admission process : NEET is one of the method of admission to this course, followed by a personal interview. Some colleges offer direct admission on the basis of results of 10+2.

Cutoff (NEET) :

Min. 119 marks(UR), 96 marks (OBC, SC, ST)

Top colleges:

1. SDM College of Naturopathy and Yogic sciences, Kannada.
2. JSS Institute of Naturopathy and Yogic sciences, The Nilgiris.
3. ADN Medical College and Paramedical Sciences, Nagpur.
4. CMJ University, Shillong.

Annual fee:

INR 50,000 – 100,000/- per annum.

• Bachelor of Siddha Medicine and Surgery (BSMS):

It is the most ancient among all the AYUSH COURSES. According to this, all the functions of human body are controlled by seven elements : Saram (plasma), cheneer (blood), ooun (muscle), kozhuppu (fat), elumbu (bone), moolai (nerve) and inthiriyam (semen). These are activated by three “Mukkuttram” – vatha (air), pitha (fire or heat or energy) and kapha (water). The imbalance of any of Mukkuttram leads to disease and disorders. It also includes a  compulsory internship of 1 year.

Admission process– Student should clear NEET for admissions to this course.

Cutoff (NEET):

Roughly a score of near about 480+ marks for general category and near about 420+ marks for the other categories to secure admission in a government college is required whereas to get admission in a private college, the score ranges from 350-420 marks.

Top colleges:

1. Government Siddha Medical College, Chennai
2. Government Siddha Medical College, Palayamkottai
3. Government Siddha Medical College, Palani
4. Sri Sai Ram Siddha Medical College, Chennai
5. R.V.S. Siddha Medical College & Hospital, Coimbatore

Average fee:

The Fee in Central/State Government Funded Institutions are  around Rs.5000 to Rs. 10,000 per Annum. The course fee in other institutions under All India Quota varies between Rs. 50,000 to Rs.2 lakhs annually.

• Bachelor of Unani Medicine and Surgery(BUMS):

Fourth most popular medication method is Unani system. It originated in Greece and from there the system of medication was adopted by Middle-East and South-Asian countries. It is a 5 year UG programme. It is known for the treatment of weight loss, kidney stone, diabetes, psoriasis, arthritis and a number of deadly diseases by natural ways.

Admission process : KEAM (state level exam), CPAT, NEET offer admission in BUMS course.

Cutoff (NEET):

Different colleges offer admission at a different mark range. A minimum of 50% marks in 12th (PCB) is a must.

Top Colleges:

1. Government Unani Medical College, Bangalore
2. Luqman Unani Medical College and Hospital, Bijapur
3. National Institute of Medical sciences, New Delhi
4. Tippu Sultan Shaheed Educational Trust Unani Medical College, Gulbarga, Karnataka.

Average fee: INR 50,000 to 6.3 Lacs for three years.

Opting for any AYUSH COURSE brings pride and honour to heal people from sufferings and earns you with the title of a ‘Dr.’

A report by Sneha Verma for IHOIK education desk