CCRAS SPARK 5.0 opens: 300 Ayurveda students to get Rs 50,000 for research
Representative image: angelorosa / Pixabay
NCISM chief Maneesha Kothekar launched CCRAS SPARK 5.0 and Ayurshodh 2026 on 14 October 2026; SPARK offers 300 BAMS students Rs 50,000 each.
What Happened
The Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) has opened a new round of its research studentship for Ayurveda undergraduates. On Wednesday, 14 October 2026, Maneesha Kothekar, chairperson of the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM), launched CCRAS SPARK 5.0 and CCRAS Ayurshodh 2026, two programmes meant to strengthen research and innovation in Ayurveda. SPARK 5.0, the fifth edition of the Studentship Program for Ayurveda Research Ken, offers 300 studentships of Rs 50,000 each to Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) students for short, independent research projects in 2026-27. Reports on the launch say registration opens on 15 October 2026.
Key Facts
- NCISM chairperson Maneesha Kothekar launched CCRAS SPARK 5.0 and CCRAS Ayurshodh 2026 on 14 October 2026.
- SPARK 5.0 is the fifth edition of the CCRAS studentship programme and covers the 2026-27 cycle.
- It offers 300 studentships, each worth Rs 50,000.
- The scheme is meant for BAMS undergraduates, who carry out short-term independent research projects.
- Registration was reported to begin on 15 October 2026; applications for the programme are made online.
- In the previous edition, SPARK 4.0, the Rs 50,000 was paid as Rs 25,000 a month for two months, and interns and postgraduate students could not apply.
- Detailed rules for Ayurshodh 2026 had not been widely published at the time of writing.
Why It Matters
Ayurveda's biggest challenge in modern health care is evidence. Doctors, regulators and patients increasingly ask for data from well-designed studies before they trust a treatment, whatever system of medicine it comes from. That evidence can only come from people trained to produce it. SPARK targets the earliest point in a practitioner's career, when BAMS students are still in college, and pays them to plan and complete a small research project under guidance.
For a student, the programme offers more than money. Writing a research proposal, collecting data, analysing it and reporting results are skills that most undergraduate courses teach only in theory. A completed SPARK project can strengthen an application for postgraduate study, a research post at a CCRAS institute, or a career in the growing Ayurveda products industry, where companies need staff who understand clinical and laboratory research.
The scale is also worth noting. With 300 studentships of Rs 50,000 each, the programme puts about Rs 1.5 crore into undergraduate research in a single year. For the sector, that is a steady stream of young people getting a first taste of research each year.
The launch by the NCISM chairperson links the two bodies that matter most to these students: NCISM, which regulates Ayurveda education and recognises colleges, and CCRAS, the main government research body for Ayurveda under the Ministry of Ayush.
| Item | SPARK 5.0 (as reported) |
|---|---|
| Launched | 14 October 2026 by NCISM chairperson Maneesha Kothekar |
| Studentships | 300 |
| Amount | Rs 50,000 per student |
| Who can apply | BAMS undergraduates at recognised colleges |
| Registration | Reported to open on 15 October 2026 |
Impact
Short-term: BAMS students now have a window to prepare and submit research proposals. Colleges and faculty guides will be asked to help students shape projects that meet the programme's standards.
Long-term: If students who complete SPARK projects go on to postgraduate research, the scheme can widen the base of Ayurveda researchers who know how to design studies that the wider medical community will accept. That matters for the system's credibility in India and abroad.
Who is affected: BAMS students and their teachers, Ayurveda colleges, CCRAS and its research institutes, and in time patients who rely on Ayurvedic care and need evidence about what works.
Key Takeaway
CCRAS SPARK 5.0, launched on 14 October 2026, offers 300 Ayurveda undergraduates Rs 50,000 each to do their own research projects, giving the system a new set of young researchers.
Questions and Answers
What is CCRAS SPARK 5.0?
It is the fifth edition of the Studentship Program for Ayurveda Research Ken run by the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences. It gives 300 BAMS students Rs 50,000 each to carry out short, independent research projects in 2026-27.
When was SPARK 5.0 launched and when does registration open?
NCISM chairperson Maneesha Kothekar launched it on 14 October 2026, and reports say registration opens on 15 October 2026. Students should confirm dates on the official CCRAS SPARK portal.
Who is eligible for SPARK 5.0?
The programme is meant for undergraduate BAMS students at recognised Ayurveda colleges. In the previous edition, interns and postgraduate students were not eligible. The exact year-wise eligibility for 2026-27 is set out in the official guidelines, which applicants should read before applying.
What is CCRAS Ayurshodh 2026?
It is a second research initiative launched alongside SPARK 5.0 on 14 October 2026 to promote Ayurveda research and innovation. Its detailed rules had not been widely published at the time of writing.
Disclaimer: Prepared by the Peepals newsroom from publicly available sources with AI assistance. Information is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication and may change. Images may be representative. Not professional advice. Report an error via our contact page.
Sourced and fact-checked by the Peepals Global Editorial Team
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