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

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Fake attendance during Ayurveda internships will attract fines ranging from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh and even cancellation of candidates' degrees.

The National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM) has made a one-year internship mandatory following the four-and-a-half-year Ayurvedacharya (BAMS) course, making the total duration of the Ayurveda undergraduate degree five-and-a-half years.

The commission has mandated that Ayurveda students must maintain regular attendance at their affiliated hospitals throughout this one-year internship.

If a student fails to meet the required attendance, provides false information, potentially in collusion with the institution, or misrepresents their attendance without fulfilling the requirements, they will face penalties.

For a first-time offence, the student will face a minimum one-year suspension and a fine of Rs 5 lakh. A second-time offence will result in a two-year suspension and a fine of Rs 10 lakh, while a third-time offence will lead to the permanent cancellation of their admission to the undergraduate programme.

During the one-year internship, students are entitled to 12 days of leave. The attendance of interns will be recorded and validated in the same manner as that of the teaching, non-teaching and hospital staff.

Dr Rakesh Pandey, national spokesperson, AYUSH Medical Association, said that both the institution and the students themselves should ensure that the attendance of interns is formally recorded within the college system for maintenance of records of attendance.