The Centre’s proposal to launch an integrated MBBS-BAMS undergraduate programme has sparked opposition from both Ayurveda scholars and modern medical professionals. Critics argue the initiative risks undermining the integrity of both systems by attempting a merger without addressing fundamental flaws in Ayurvedic education and practice.

Several experts have voiced their concerns about the lack of modernization in Ayurvedic education, calling for comprehensive curriculum reform before any integration with modern medicine is attempted. G.L. Krishna, a research scholar at the National Centre for Biological Sciences, highlighted that Ayurveda’s academic stagnation is due to a continued dependence on outdated concepts that lack scientific validation. He pointed out that many teachings currently used in Ayurvedic colleges mix fact with unverified claims, which can create confusion and dilute the scientific basis needed for integration with evidence-based medicine.

Krishna stressed that meaningful progress in Ayurveda will only be possible if the discipline sheds its obsolete theories and evolves with the support of interdisciplinary intellectual resources—including Ayurvedic practitioners, biomedical scientists, clinicians, and scholars from the humanities. He believes integration should follow only after this foundational work is done.

Kishor Patwardhan, a professor at the Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, echoed this view, stating that although integrated education is not inherently flawed, it should only proceed once Ayurveda becomes conceptually and methodologically sound. He noted that many traditional Ayurvedic ideas—such as those related to physiology and disease origin—are not aligned with contemporary scientific understanding and must be critically redefined using observable and testable methods.

A significant contradiction was also highlighted regarding the policy stance of the Ministry of AYUSH, which has historically claimed that Ayurvedic methods are fundamentally incompatible with modern medicine. Yet, the same ministry is now pushing for integration, which critics argue reflects confusion and inconsistency at the policy level.

The government’s plan includes launching the first integrated course at the Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry. Currently, BAMS degrees are offered in government and private Ayurvedic institutions across the country.

Despite concerns about scientific validity, a government survey in 2022–23 found that a substantial portion of both rural (40%) and urban (45%) populations continue to use AYUSH-based treatments. Still, the Indian Medical Association has strongly criticized the integration plan, warning that it could result in a new category of inadequately trained practitioners, referring to them as “hybrid doctors” or “qualified quacks.”

Critics agree that the future of Ayurveda lies not in forced integration, but in intellectual and scientific reform. With a stronger, evidence-informed foundation, Ayurveda could become a more meaningful contributor to public health, allowing for integration on more rational and scientific terms.