Transitional curriculum under NCISM's current status, need for updating, and gaps: A narrative review.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70066/jahm.v14i3.2571Keywords:
Ayurveda, Ayurpraveshika, education, NCISM, Shishopanayana, Transitional curriculumAbstract
Background: The changeover from higher secondary education to professional medical education requires significant changes in psychological, social, and academic components. Ayurveda as a profession is a lifelong commitment to connect deeply with classical texts and guide needy patients in their journey of healing. The students choosing a B.A.M.S. need to study the core of Ayurveda texts along with the modern perspectives and practices. Recognizing the challenges faced by young and new students, NCISM implemented the transitional curriculum “Ayurpraveshika -2025-2026” for first-year undergraduates. Objectives: This narrative review explores the current status of the “Ayurpraveshika 2025-26 transitional curriculum," the need for its implementation, and gaps to be addressed in the future. Methods: Related literature was identified through PubMed, Scopes, Google Scholar, and Research Gate using keywords "transitional curriculum" and "Ayurveda," which were reviewed to summarize trends, applications, and ethical concerns. Conclusion: The primary need for this curriculum arises as students entering this course are from diverse educational backgrounds, have limited exposure to Sanskrit-based classical texts, are unacquainted with Ayurveda's basic concepts and its future opportunities, are unaware of medical terminologies, and have inadequate preparation for the rigorous professional learning environment. This transitional curriculum is essential to improve learner confidence, make them goal-oriented right from the 1st year, reduce fear and anxiety of Ayurveda concepts, enhance academic and clinical skills, ignite the curiosity of health services, research, and entrepreneurship, and ensure holistic development among students with mindfulness.
References
Vidyadhar Sukla (editor). Charaka Samhita of Charaka, Sutrasthana, chapter 1, verse no.25. 2nd edition, Varanasi; Chowkhambha Sanskrit Sansthan;2005;5
E. L. Cooper, “Ayurveda is embraced by eCAM,” Evidence Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine,vol.5,no.1, pp. 1–2, 2008. https://doi.org/10.1093/ecam/nen016
Patwardhan K, Gehlot S. The Ayurveda education in India: how well are the graduates exposed to basic clinical skills. Evid Based Complement Alternat med.; 2011 Feb 14;2011:197391.Avaliable from: https://10.0.4.69/ecam/nep113
Kaviraj Ambikadutta Shastri (editor). Susruta Samhita of Maharsi Susruta, Sutrasthana, chapter 2, verse no. 1-19, Varanasi; Choukhamba Sanskrit Sansthan;2023;9-11.
https://ncismindia.org>assets>pdf>ayurpraveshika.pdf (assessed on 18/12/2025)
https://www.ugc.ac.in/pdfnews/3830821_DeeksharambhEnglish.pdf (accessed 18/12/2025).
Sattigeri, Viswajanani J. Role of Government and Research Organizations in Rejuvenating and Re-affirming the value of Traditional Knowledge Systems – Ayush, as a Case in Point. Journal of Research in Ayurvedic Sciences.2023 Jan1;7(5):55-59. Avaliable from: https://10.4103/jras.jras_95_23
Gaurav Soni, Neelam. Introduction of transitional curriculum (TC) for the first-year undergraduate in Ayurveda, a welcome move by the Ministry of Ayush. Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine.2022 April;13(2):100551 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaim.2022.100551
Jibkate B, Pargaonkar AS. Recent advances in teaching-learning methodologies of the Ayurveda education system. J Educ Health Promot. 2024 Nov 29;13:448. Available from: https://10.4103/jehp.jehp_1575_23.
Dr. Priya Soni Khare, Dr. Jitendra Kumar. Indian Knowledge System and Globalization: An Intensive Study International Journal of Research and Review. 2025Jan18;12(1):232-9.Avaliable from: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijrr.20250129
Kabat-Zinn J. Mindfulness-Based Interventions in Context: Past, Present, and Future. Clin Psychol Sci Pract. 2003;10:144–156. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1093/clipsy.bpg016
Vidal Eio, Ribeiro Lfa, de Carvalho-filho MA, Fukushima FB. Mindfulness training in medical education as a means to improve resilience, empathy, and mental health in the medical profession. World J Psychiatry.2024 Apr 19;14(4):489-493. Available from: https://10.5498/wjp.v14.i4.489
Vyas MK. Reforms in Ayurveda education; the challenges ahead. Ayu.2015 Jul-Sep;36(3):231-2. Available from: https://10.4103/0974-8520.182759
Additional Files
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Usharani Sanu

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Authors retain the copyright of their work and grant the Journal of Ayurveda and Holistic Medicine (JAHM) the right of first publication. All published articles are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) license, which permits non-commercial sharing, use, distribution, and adaptation with proper attribution and the same license terms.
JAHM ensures free, irrevocable, worldwide access to its content. Users may copy, distribute, display, and share published works for non-commercial purposes with appropriate credit to the author(s) and the journal. Limited printed copies for personal, non-commercial use are allowed under the same license.
If a submission is not accepted for publication, the author(s) will be notified.
By submitting, authors confirm that the work is original, that all listed authors have contributed and approved it, and that it does not infringe any third-party rights or duplicate work submitted elsewhere.