Ministry of Ayush
Indian Polity & Governance
- PYQs8
- Articles1
Background
Understanding the institutional framework for health and traditional medicine in India, the government's role in promoting indigenous systems, and its various welfare and public health initiatives is crucial for UPSC aspirants.
The Ministry of Ayush is a government ministry in India responsible for developing education, research, and propagation of indigenous alternative medicine systems, including Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homoeopathy (AYUSH).
Facts & tables
- Establishment
- Established in 2014, previously a department under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
- Mandate
- Responsible for policy formulation, research, and promotion of AYUSH systems.
- Integration
- Aims to integrate traditional medicine into public health and wellness strategies.
- Initiatives
- Oversees various initiatives like Ayush Ahaar and the National Ayush Mission.
| Type | Reference |
|---|---|
| Conceptual area | Constitutional & Statutory Bodies |
| Conceptual area | Welfare Schemes & Social Policies |
Prelims angle
Prelims angle: Multi-statement analysis
Prelims angle: Institutional roles and functions
- Union Ministry for traditional medicine systems.
- Covers Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, Homoeopathy.
- Focuses on education, research, and promotion.
- Plays a key role in public health and wellness initiatives.
- Established in 2014.
| Year | Framing tags |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall |
| 2025 | Factual recall, Institutional roles and functions |
| 2025 | Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall |
| 2025 | Multi-statement analysis, Institutional roles and functions |
| 2022 | Multi-statement analysis, Institutional roles and functions |
| 2018 | Multi-statement analysis, Institutional roles and functions |
| 2017 | Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall |
| 2016 | Multi-statement analysis, Institutional roles and functions |
Timeline
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Constitutional & Statutory Bodies
Conceptual area
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Welfare Schemes & Social Policies
Conceptual area
-
Prelims 2016
Multi-statement analysis, Institutional roles and functions
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Prelims 2017
Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall
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Prelims 2018
Multi-statement analysis, Institutional roles and functions
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Prelims 2022
Multi-statement analysis, Institutional roles and functions
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Prelims 2025
Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall
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Prelims 2025
Factual recall, Institutional roles and functions
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Prelims 2025
Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall
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Prelims 2025
Multi-statement analysis, Institutional roles and functions
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Union Minister Shri Prataprao Jadhav Inaugurated Prakriti Café at Ayush Bhawan
A Union Ministry dedicated to the development, education, and promotion of India's traditional and alternative medicine systems (Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, Homoeopathy) for public health and wellness.
See also
Past papers
2016–2025 · 8 questions
In the news
Union Minister Shri Prataprao Jadhav Inaugurated Prakriti Café at Ayush Bhawan
A Union Ministry dedicated to the development, education, and promotion of India's traditional and alternative medicine systems (Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, Homoeopathy) for public health and wellness.
Try these PYQs
Consider the following statements
1. The Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 replaced the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954.
2. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is under the charge of Director General of Health Services in the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Statement 1 is Correct: The Food Safety and Standards Act, of 2006 did supersede the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, of 1954. It established a more comprehensive framework for ensuring food safety and regulating the food industry in India. Statement 2 is Incorrect: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is an autonomous body, not under the direct control of the Director General of Health Services. While the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare oversees FSSAI, it functions independently with its own governing board and chairperson. Therefore, the correct answer is option (a) 1 only.
With reference to India, consider the following pairs:
| Organization | Union Ministry |
|------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|
| I. The National Automotive Board | Ministry of Commerce and Industry |
| II. The Coir Board | Ministry of Heavy Industries |
| III. The National Centre for Trade Information| Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises |
How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?
❌ Pair I: The National Automotive Board – Ministry of Commerce and Industry
* Incorrect. It functions under the Ministry of Heavy Industries, not Commerce and Industry. ❌ Pair II: The Coir Board – Ministry of Heavy Industries
* Incorrect. The Coir Board is under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises. ❌ Pair III: National Centre for Trade Information – Ministry of MSME
* Incorrect. NCTI is linked to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, not MSME.
Which of the following are the key features of ‘National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA)’?
1. The river basin is the unit of planning and management.
2. It spearheads the river conservation efforts at the national level.
3. One of the Chief Ministers of the State through which the Ganga flows becomes the Chairman of NGRBA on a rotation basis.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Statement 1 is correct. National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) is the financing, planning, implementing, monitoring, and coordinating authority for the Ganges River, functioning under the Jal Shakti Ministry. Statement 2 is correct. The mission of the organisation is to safeguard the drainage basin which feeds water into the Ganges by protecting it from pollution or overuse. In July 2014, the NGRBA has been transferred from the Ministry of Environment and Forests to the Ministry of Jal Shakti. Statement 3 is incorrect. The Prime Minister is the chair of the Authority.
Other members include the cabinet ministers of ministries that include the Ganges among their direct concerns and the chief ministers of states through which the Ganges River flows.
With reference to the Government of India, consider the following information:
| Organization | Some of its Functions | It Works Under |
|--------------------|------------------------|--------------------------------|
| Directorate of Enforcement | Enforcement of the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018 | Internal Security Division-I, Ministry of Home Affairs |
| Directorate of Revenue Intelligence | Enforces the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962 | Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance |
| Directorate General of Systems and Data Management | Carrying out big data analytics to assist tax officers for better policy and nabbing tax evaders | Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance |
In how many of the above rows is the information correctly matched?
The question relates to the correct mapping of key investigative and analytical bodies under the Government of India and their parent ministries or departments. ❌ Row I: Incorrect The Directorate of Enforcement does implement the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018, but it functions under the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance, not the Ministry of Home Affairs. ✅ Row II: Correct The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) enforces the Customs Act, 1962 and works under the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance. ✅ Row III: Correct The Directorate General of Systems and Data Management aids in big data analytics for tax enforcement and operates under the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance.
In India, what is the role of the Coal Controller's Organization (CCO)?
1. CCO is the major source of Coal Statistics in Government of India.
2. It monitors progress of development of Captive Coal/Lignite blocks.
3. It hears any objection ' to the Government's notification relating to acquisition of coal-bearing areas.
4. It ensures that coal mining companies deliver the coal to end users in the prescribed time.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
The Coal Controller's Organisation (CCO) is a subordinate office of the Ministry of Coal, having its headquarters at Kolkata and field offices at Dhanbad, Ranchi, Bilaspur, Nagpur, Sambalpur, Kothagudem and Asansol. It collects and maintains coal production data of all private and public sector coal mines in the country. The information is collected every month. Statement 1 is correct. Under the Collection of Statistics Act, 2008 Coal Controller has been made the statistical authority concerning coal and lignite statistics. Entrusted with the responsibility of carrying out the Annual Coal & Lignite survey and publishing of Provisional Coal Statistics and Coal Directory of India. Statement 2 is correct. It is entrusted with the task of monitoring captive mines. Work such as permission for the opening and reopening of coal mines has been entrusted to the CCO. Statement 3 is correct. Under the Coal Bearing Area (Acquisition and Development) Act, 1957- the Coal Controller is the competent authority under this act to hear any objection to the Central Government's Notification relating to the acquisition of coal-bearing land and to furnish his reports to the Central Govt. Statement 4 is incorrect. Ensuring that coal mining companies deliver the coal to end users in the prescribed time is not the function of the Coal Controller's Organization (CCO).
Show 3 more PYQs
Which of the following statements with regard to recommendations of the 15th Finance Commission of India are correct?
I. It has recommended grants of ₹4,800 crores from the year 2022–23 to the year 2025–26 for incentivizing States to enhance educational outcomes.
II. 45% of the net proceeds of Union taxes are to be shared with States.
III. ₹45,000 crores are to be kept as performance-based incentive for all States for carrying out agricultural reforms.
IV. It reintroduced tax effort criteria to reward fiscal performance.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
The 15th Finance Commission made recommendations to promote better fiscal discipline, education, and agriculture reforms, while adjusting tax devolution among states. ✅ Statement I: Correct 4,800 crores were recommended (2022–23 to 2025–26) to incentivize states for improving educational outcomes. ❌ Statement II: Incorrect The Commission recommended 41% of Union taxes to be shared with states, not 45%. ✅ Statement III: Correct It proposed a ₹45,000 crore performance-based incentive for states to implement agricultural reforms. ✅ Statement IV: Correct It reintroduced the 'tax effort' criterion, rewarding states that better mobilize revenue in relation to their GSDP.
Consider the following statements about Lokpal:
I. The power of Lokpal applies to public servants of India, but not to the Indian public servants posted outside India.
II. The Chairperson or a Member shall not be a Member of the Parliament or a Member of the Legislature of any State or Union Territory, and only the Chief Justice of India, whether incumbent or retired, has to be its Chairperson.
III. The Chairperson or a Member shall not be a person of less than forty-five years of age on the date of assuming office as the Chairperson or Member, as the case may be.
IV. Lokpal cannot inquire into the allegations of corruption against a sitting Prime Minister of India.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
❌ Statement I: Incorrect
Lokpal’s jurisdiction includes all Indian public servants, even those posted abroad. ❌ Statement II: Incorrect
Chairperson need not be only the CJI; former judges or eminent persons with 25+ years’ expertise can also be appointed. ✅ Statement III: Correct
Minimum age to be Chairperson or Member is 45 years. ❌ Statement IV: Incorrect
Lokpal can inquire against a sitting PM, but with safeguards and restrictions in sensitive areas. Therefore, only Statement III is correct.
Consider the following statements:
1. The Election Commission of India is a five-member body.
2. Union Ministry of Home Affairs decides the election schedule for the conduct of both general elections and by-elections.
3. Election Commission resolves the disputes relating to splits/mergers of recognized political parties.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Statement 1 is incorrect: The Election Commission of India (ECI) is not a five-member body. It is a three-member body, consisting of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and two Election Commissioners (ECs). However, it originally started as a single-member body in 1950 and became a multi-member commission in 1993. Statement 2 is incorrect: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) does not decide the election schedule. The Election Commission of India (ECI) is solely responsible for determining the schedule of general elections and bye-elections. It exercises this power under Article 324 of the Constitution, ensuring free and fair elections in the country. Statement 3 is correct: The Election Commission of India has the authority to resolve disputes related to splits and mergers of recognized political parties. It decides which faction of a party is the legitimate one and, if necessary, allocates party symbols accordingly, based on precedents and internal party strength. Hence, the correct answer is option (D) 3 only.