Bridging Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Modern Academia: Implementing India's National Education Policy 2020 Based Curricula for Traditional Therapies

Abstract

India’s National Education Policy 2020 (NEP-2020) strongly advocates for the revitalization of Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) and the promotion of multidisciplinary learning within mainstream higher education. Aligning with this transformative vision and the global movement toward integrating Indigenous knowledge into academia, this paper presents two innovative curricula, which contextualize ancient healing traditions within contemporary academic frameworks. First, the paper details a four-year, 32-credit Undergraduate (UG) Minor in "Ayurveda and Holistic Health". Designed for students across diverse disciplines, this Minor utilizes Outcome-Based Education (OBE) and the Choice-Based Credit System (CBCS) to impart foundational Ayurvedic principles, preventive healthcare, and therapies like Panchakarma and Marma Therapy. Second, the study outlines a two-year Master of Science (M.Sc.) (Indigenous and Traditional Therapies) program, which bridges classical therapeutic disciplines, such as Ayurveda, Naturopathy, Yoga, and Acupressure, with modern research methodology. It features a flexible, dual-pathway structure in the final year, enabling students to specialize in either hands-on clinical practice or rigorous academic research. The present paper demonstrates successful mitigation of preliminary challenges related to cross-disciplinary curriculum design. Furthermore, students have exhibited enhanced practical competencies and a profound appreciation for evidence-based traditional sciences. Ultimately, these curricula serve as scalable models for institutionalizing ancestral wisdom to cultivate culturally grounded, ethically aware professionals equipped to address modern lifestyle challenges.