Question : Accreditation of Yoga Institutions and Teachers

Will the Minister of AYURVEDA, YOGA & NATUROPATHY, UNANI, SIDDHA AND HOMOEOPATHY (AYUSH) be pleased to state:

(a) whether Government is aware that people not skilled in yoga institutions are imparting training putting people''s health in jeopardy;

(b) if so, the reaction of the Government in this regard;

(c) whether the Government proposes to formulate guidelines for certification/ accreditation of yoga institutions/teachers;

(d) if so, the details thereof and the steps taken by the Government in this regard; and

(e) the time by which the guidelines is likely to be formulated?

THE MINISTER OF STATE (IC) OF THE MINISTRY OF AYURVEDA,
YOGA & NATUROPATHY, UNANI, SIDDHA AND HOMOEOPATHY
(SHRI SHRIPAD YESSO NAIK)
(a) & (b): Yoga is a traditional system of Healthcare, transferred from one generation to other mainly through “Guru-Shishya Parampara” or by practical training.

Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga(MDNIY), an autonomous organization under Ministry of AYUSH which is also engaged in educational activities, appoints only qualified personnels to teach Yoga in the Institute and its programmes.

The Ministry of AYUSH has not received any complaint/ report regarding adverse effect of Yoga on people’s health due to imparting of training by yoga instructors.

Contd…….


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(c) to (e): At present, there is no Central legislation for regulation of education and practice in Yoga. However, based on the guidelines issued by the Central Government, few State Governments have regulated education and practice of Yoga and Naturopathy.

Further, the Ministry of AYUSH has initiated a Scheme for Voluntary Certification of Yoga Professionals. First phase of the Scheme to certify Yoga teachers was launched on June 22, 2015. The Scheme is operated by the Quality Council of India (QCI), an apex quality facilitation and accreditation body, under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

The National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE), a Statutory body under Government of India has introduced Yoga Education as a compulsory area of study in all the teachers’ education programmes.

The Task Force constituted by the Ministry of AYUSH to deliberate and make recommendations on various important issues, including the preferred option for promotion, development and regulation of Yoga & Naturopathy, for education and practice; in its report submitted recently, has recommended to set-up a Board for promotion and development of Yoga & Naturopathy, with the objectives inter-alia including as below:

(i) to develop standards for Yoga & Naturopathy training and practices for voluntary adoption;

(ii) to promote accreditation frame-work relating to Yoga & Naturopathy for voluntary implementation by institution, including drafting of curriculum and syllabus for various degrees, diploma and programmes;

(iii) to develop methods of competence evaluation of Yoga & Naturopathy practitioners.

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