For the second time in a row, the state government has appointed an IAS officer as Director of Ayurveda, bypassing the traditional practice of selecting senior faculty members from Ayurveda medical colleges. This decision has led to strong objections from the teaching cadre across Uttar Pradesh government’s Ayurveda colleges.
Backdrop: Administrative Overhaul in AYUSH Governance
In March 2024, the government instituted the Directorate General of AYUSH to streamline the administration of Ayurveda, Homeopathy, and Unani departments. The reform also mandated that a secretary-level IAS officer will lead the directorate, introducing a bureaucratic layer to previously faculty-led director positions.
Leadership Transition in Directorate General of AYUSH
The transition in leadership has been smooth. Mr. Nagendra Pratap Singh, a 2010-batch IAS officer, was the first Director General. He was succeeded by Mr. Manvendra Singh in August 2024, also from the 2010 batch. Following Mr. Singh’s retirement, Ms. Chaitra V, a 2007-batch IAS officer, is set to assume the role in August 2025. She will also be given additional charge as Director of Ayurveda.
Discontent Grows Among Teaching Cadre
Ayurveda professors argue that the Director position should be held by senior principals from within the department, as has been customary. A senior professor highlighted the disparity by pointing out that their colleagues have been appointed directors in the Homeopathy and Unani departments, while Ayurveda continues to see external appointments.
Minister Assures a Permanent Appointment Soon
Responding to the growing dissent, Minister of State for AYUSH, Mr. Dayashankar Mishra Dayalu, acknowledged the concerns and stated that the process for appointing a permanent director from within the Ayurveda cadre is already in motion and a final decision will be made soon.
Administrative Reforms Aim at Greater Integration and Oversight
While the current policy aligns with administrative reforms aimed at better integration across AYUSH systems, the government’s move is also being interpreted as an effort to bring more uniformity and bureaucratic efficiency in traditional medicine governance. The consolidation of directorates under one bureaucratic umbrella seeks to elevate the status and coordination of Ayurveda at the policy level.
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