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  2026-07-18 08:07:00

In a historic move to integrate traditional Indian knowledge systems with modern medical education, the Central Sanskrit University (CSU), New Delhi, has officially released the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test – Pre-Ayurveda (NEET-PA) notification for the 2026-27 academic year. This groundbreaking initiative allows students to kickstart their medical careers right after completing their 10th-grade boards. By clearing this entrance exam, students will secure admission into a specialised Pre-Ayurveda program that leads directly to a Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) degree, fulfilling their aspirations of becoming certified Ayurvedic physicians.

The Vision: Merging Sanskrit Education with Ayurveda Gurukuls

Approved by the National Commission for Indian Systems of Medicine (NCISM), this program will run across affiliated Ayurveda Gurukuls nationwide. The implementation follows the launch of the Ayurveda Gurukul Affiliation Portal earlier this year. Prof. Srinivas Varkhedi, Vice Chancellor of CSU, highlighted that the curriculum aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) and the Indian Knowledge System (IKS). Since Sanskrit students can inherently comprehend classical Ayurvedic texts in their original language, this Gurukul-based model aims to elevate the global standards of Ayurvedic practice.

Key Registration and Entrance Exam Dates Announced

Aspiring candidates, please mark your calendars for the upcoming admission cycle. According to CSU Examination Controller Prof. Pawan Kumar, the online application window for NEET-PA is scheduled to open in the third week of July 2026. The national-level entrance test will be held either in the final week of August 2026 or the opening week of September 2026 at multiple designated test centres.

Integrated 7.5-Year Course Structure Explained.

Students qualifying through the NEET-PA gateway will embark on a comprehensive 7.5-year integrated academic journey. The breakdown of the timeline is structured as follows:

Pre-Ayurveda Gurukulam Phase: 2 Years

BAMS Core Degree Program: 4.5 Years

Compulsory Rotatory Internship: 1 Year

This hybrid educational path ensures that students master classical Gurukul scriptures alongside contemporary Ayurvedic medical sciences.

Strict Eligibility Criteria and Age Limits for Applicants

The university has laid down definitive protocols regarding who can apply for this integrated medical track:

Educational Qualification: Candidates must have cleared their 10th grade from a recognised national board, state Sanskrit board, or an equivalent institution.

Minimum Marks Requirement: General category students need at least 50% aggregate marks, while SC, ST, OBC, and PwD candidates require at least 40%.

Age Limits: Applicants must be between 15 and 25 years old as of December 31, 2026. The university has explicitly stated that no age relaxations will apply to any category.

NEET-PA 2026 Exam Pattern and Official Syllabus

The entrance assessment will follow a traditional pen-and-paper format. The essential highlights of the test design include:

Mode of Exam: Offline (OMR-based)

Duration: 150 minutes (2.5 hours)

Question Type: 120 Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

Marking Scheme: 1 mark per correct answer with zero negative marking.

Medium: Question papers will be printed in Sanskrit, Hindi, and English.

The officially released syllabus emphasises Sanskrit literature, Vedic mythology, historical timelines, traditional grammar, ancient philosophy, and Indian heritage systems. Comprehensive guidelines, model test papers, and structural details will be published on the official CSU website, and queries can be routed to iks@sanskrit.ac.in.