AIAPGET — Ayush PG Entrance Complete Guide
MD/MS Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Unani, Siddha Postgraduate Admission
Exam at a glance
Conducting body
NTA (National Testing Agency) on behalf of Ministry of AYUSH
Total marks
200 marks (200 MCQs × 1 mark; no negative marking)
Duration
3 hours
Mode
CBT (Online) at NTA examination centres
Frequency
Annual (typically November–December; MD admission January–March)
Eligibility
BAMS/BHMS/BUMS/BSMS degree + valid registration with State AYUSH Council
Total applicants
40,000–60,000 candidates annually across all AYUSH streams
Accepting institutions
200+ AYUSH PG colleges; ~5,000 MD/MS seats nationally
Exam sections — what each tests
Fundamental Subjects (Years 1–2 BAMS)
MCQ50–60 questions50 marksClinical Subjects (Years 3–5 BAMS)
MCQ80–100 questions80 marksDravyaguna and Rasa Shastra
MCQ40–50 questions40 marksResearch Methodology and Biostatistics
Objective15–20 questions15 marksTop AYUSH colleges and admission patterns
IPGT & RA — Institute for Post Graduate Teaching & Research in Ayurveda
Jamnagar, Gujarat
MD Ayurveda (3 years); PhD; 15 departments
Gujarat Ayurved University — India's largest and most prestigious Ayurveda PG institution. Part of Gujarat Ayurved University (GAU), the only dedicated Ayurveda university in India. 15 MD departments including Kayachikitsa, Panchakarma, Dravyaguna, Shalya, Shalakya, Rasashastra, Prasuti. WHO Collaborating Centre for Traditional Medicine. Graduates hold leadership positions in CCRAS, Ministry of AYUSH, and international Ayurveda research institutions.
National Institute of Ayurveda (NIA)
Jaipur, Rajasthan
MD Ayurveda (3 years)
Ministry of AYUSH autonomous institute; central government funding. NIA is one of India's few NAAC A-graded Ayurveda institutions. 8 PG MD departments. Research collaboration with AIIMS Jodhpur on integrative medicine protocols. Hospital OPD: 800+ daily. Faculty publishes in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine and Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine.
SDM College of Ayurveda and Hospital
Udupi, Karnataka
MD Ayurveda; PhD in Ayurveda
Shri Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara University; NAAC A+. One of India's top private Ayurveda PG institutions. 14 MD departments with active research output — most papers per Ayurveda institution in India. PhD programme in Dravyaguna, Kayachikitsa. Industry partnerships with Himalaya Drug Company and Arya Vaidya Pharmacy for phytochemical research.
BHU Faculty of Ayurveda — Institute of Medical Sciences
Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
MD Ayurveda (3 years)
Banaras Hindu University (Central University); NAAC A++. Central university stipend for MD students (Rs 15,000–20,000/month from CCRAS fellowships). Varanasi Ayurveda tradition — Chaukhamba Sanskrit manuscripts available for classical study. Six MD departments with integration with BHU AIIMS for cross-speciality research.
Preparation timeline
Syllabus Audit Phase
Months 1–2Map AIAPGET question paper pattern and 5-year subject-wise distribution
- ✓Last 5 AIAPGET question papers analysed: subject-wise question count and topic frequency
- ✓High-yield topics identified: Kayachikitsa (25%), Dravyaguna (20%), Panchakarma (15%)
- ✓BAMS textbooks shortlisted: Charaka Samhita (Gulabkunverba edition), Ashtanga Hridayam, Dravyaguna by PV Sharma
- ✓AIAPGET topper interviews reviewed for subject priority and time allocation
Subject Mastery Phase
Months 3–8Systematic Samhita study with MCQ integration
- ✓Charaka Samhita Chikitsa Sthana (12 chapters): key Nidana and Chikitsa for top 15 diseases
- ✓Dravyaguna: property table for 100 major herbs (Rasa-Guna-Virya-Vipaka-Karma-Prabhava)
- ✓Panchakarma: complete procedure sequence for all 5 Karma with indications and contraindications
- ✓Previous year question bank: 2,000+ AIAPGET MCQs solved with Samhita source citation
Mock Test Phase
Months 9–11Full-length 200-question AIAPGET mocks with rank prediction
- ✓20+ full AIAPGET mocks with 140+ score targeting top 10% rank
- ✓Weak subject (typically Rachana Sharir and Shalakya) revision cycle completed
- ✓All India mock test rank: top 20% consistently for IPGT&RA and NIA options
- ✓MD specialisation preference finalised based on career goal and subject strength
Counselling Phase
Post-exam (January–March)Centralised AYUSH PG Counselling (MCC) + state counselling
- ✓MCC AYUSH PG Counselling registered: IPGT&RA, NIA, BHU seats filled centrally
- ✓State AYUSH PG counselling registered for home state government PG colleges
- ✓MD specialisation preference strategy: Kayachikitsa and Panchakarma fill first; Agadatantra and Rachana Sharir available at lower ranks
- ✓Stipend and funding verified: CCRAS JRF (Rs 31,000/month) and non-CCRAS seat stipend differences understood
Career paths in AYUSH medicine
MD Ayurveda Specialist Practice
Rs 50,000–1,20,000/month
MD Kayachikitsa specialists commanding Rs 1.5–3 lakh/month in urban integrative clinics. MD Panchakarma practitioners running specialised retreats at Rs 2–5 lakh/month revenue. Government MD Ayurveda Officers recruited at Level 10 (Rs 56,100–1,77,500) — higher pay band than BAMS generalist positions.
Ayurveda Research (CCRAS)
Rs 40,000–80,000/month (Research Officer); Rs 80,000–1,50,000 (Scientist C+)
CCRAS (Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences) employs MD Ayurveda graduates as Research Officers, Medical Officers, and Scientists. CCRAS has 40+ research institutes across India. ICMR-AYUSH collaborative projects offer additional fellowship funding. WHO Traditional Medicine research grants through CCRAS reach Rs 50 lakh+ per project for senior scientists.
Ayurveda Academic (Reader/Professor)
Rs 45,000–80,000/month (Lecturer); Rs 80,000–1,80,000 (Professor)
MD Ayurveda is the minimum qualification for Ayurveda college teaching (NCISM norms). Government Ayurveda college faculty scale (6th/7th Pay Commission) is comparable to medical college faculty. 1,000+ Ayurveda colleges need faculty across 14 clinical departments — systematic faculty shortage in Dravyaguna, Rachana Sharir, and Agadatantra creates hiring priority for MD graduates.
International Integrative Medicine Research
USD 50,000–90,000/year; EUR 40,000–70,000 (research positions)
European Ayurveda institutions (Germany's Ayurveda Akademie, Austrian Ayurveda Society, Netherlands) employ MD Ayurveda graduates for clinical training and research. USA's National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) funds Ayurveda research collaborations. MD Ayurveda with English publication record and herbal pharmacology specialisation is the strongest international profile for integrative medicine research fellowships.
Common mistakes that cost you a seat
Studying AIAPGET from memory of BAMS lectures without going back to primary Samhita texts — AIAPGET questions are often quoted directly from Charaka Samhita slokas and Ashtanga Hridayam; lecture notes paraphrase and lose precision
Ignoring Research Methodology and Biostatistics as "too modern for Ayurveda" — 15 questions with standard medical biostatistics content that can be mastered in 2 weeks and secured near-100%; skipping this section loses easy marks
Choosing MD specialisation based only on rank rather than career plan — MD Agadatantra (toxicology) fills at lower ranks but has good medico-legal and food safety career paths; MD Rachana Sharir fills late but leads to anatomy research — rank strategy should be career-informed
Not checking CCRAS Junior Research Fellow (JRF) scheme eligibility — CCRAS funds JRF stipends of Rs 31,000/month for AIAPGET qualifiers in 10 specialisations; many candidates miss this funding by not applying to the CCRAS JRF portal separately after AIAPGET
Assuming AIAPGET rank is fixed by subject knowledge alone — AIAPGET has no negative marking (unlike NEET); attempting all 200 questions is mandatory; unattempted questions are 0 vs attempted unknowns at worst 0
Frequently asked questions
What score is needed in AIAPGET for top MD Ayurveda seats?
IPGT&RA Jamnagar requires top 500–1000 rank (approximately 150+/200 for competitive specialisations like Kayachikitsa and Panchakarma). NIA Jaipur requires top 1500–2500 rank (140+). For state government PG colleges, state-level merit lists apply separately. Overall AIAPGET: 140+/200 for central institution options; 120+ for reputed state colleges; 100+ for any government PG seat.
What are the best MD Ayurveda specialisations for career?
Kayachikitsa (internal medicine) is the most versatile — all clinical reasoning routes through it. Panchakarma is highest-earning in private practice (wellness industry). Dravyaguna leads to pharmaceutical industry, research, and international botany work. Shalya Tantra (surgery) opens integrative surgery practice and medico-legal careers. Swasthavritta (preventive medicine) is growing with corporate wellness demand. Research career: Rachana Sharir, Agadatantra. Least competitive: Agadatantra, Rachana Sharir.
Can AIAPGET qualifiers practice modern diagnostics?
MD Ayurveda graduates practice within the Ayurveda scope as defined by NCISM. However, many MD Ayurveda practitioners obtain additional training in diagnostic ultrasound (through 6-month certificated courses) and use it as a diagnostic tool in their AYUSH practice. AIIMS and some state hospitals with integrated AYUSH departments use MD Ayurveda specialists in collaborative OPD settings. The scope of MD Ayurveda practice continues to evolve through NCISM regulations and Supreme Court interpretations.
Is there a separate exam for Homeopathy PG?
No — AIAPGET covers MD Homeopathy alongside MD Ayurveda, MD Unani, and MD Siddha in one examination. BHMS graduates appear for AIAPGET and compete for MD Homeopathy seats separately from Ayurveda candidates (stream-wise merit lists). The question paper for Homeopathy stream covers BHMS curriculum subjects: Organon and Philosophy, Materia Medica, Homoeopathic Repertory, Practice of Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and Surgery.
What is the CCRAS Junior Research Fellow (JRF) scheme?
CCRAS (Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences) awards JRF positions to AIAPGET qualifiers in specific specialisations — the stipend is Rs 31,000/month (JRF) for the first 2 years, rising to Rs 35,000/month (SRF) in year 3, for 3-year MD programmes. Not all MD seats have CCRAS fellowship — government institute seats at IPGT&RA, NIA, BHU, and state government Ayurveda PG colleges are eligible. Candidates must apply to CCRAS JRF portal after securing an MD seat. This represents significant financial support — total Rs 10+ lakh over 3 years — that many candidates miss.
Get coached by someone who has cleared AIAPGET and completed MD Ayurveda at a top AYUSH institution
BAMS/BHMS/BUMS/BSMS graduates targeting specialist Ayurveda/AYUSH practice, academic positions, research roles at CCRAS, or international integrative medicine careers. Candidates who want to escape general AYUSH dispensary work and specialise in Panchakarma, Kayachikitsa (internal medicine), Shalya Tantra (surgery), or Dravyaguna (herbal pharmacology).