11 April 2026·PIB

CARI Bengaluru Becomes First CCRAS Institute to Achieve ISO 15189:2022 Accreditation in Biochemistry & Haematology

In this note

1. At a Glance

CARI Bengaluru (Central Ayurveda Research Institute) became the first CCRAS institute to receive ISO 15189:2022 accreditation in Biochemistry & Haematology [1][3].
Signals integration of global lab-quality standards into the Ayush ecosystem — i.e., evidence-based Ayurveda diagnostics [1].
UPSC relevance: intersects GS-II (health governance, Ayush institutions) and GS-III (S&T, standardisation, R&D).

On 11 April 2026, the Ministry of Ayush announced that the Clinical Laboratory at CARI, Bengaluru received ISO 15189:2022 accreditation for Biochemistry & Haematology — a first under CCRAS [1][3].
Lab already holds NABL accreditation for 50 parameters and conducts over 1.5 lakh tests annually [1][3].

CCRAS = Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences — apex autonomous body for Ayurveda R&D under the Ministry of Ayush, with a network of 30 peripheral institutes [2].
CARI Bengaluru lab began with a single semi-automated biochemistry analyser, was upgraded under the Centre of Excellence Scheme of the Ministry of Ayush [3].
Received NABL entry-level certification in November 2022; subsequently progressed to full ISO 15189:2022 standard [3].

Institute: Central Ayurveda Research Institute (CARI), Bengaluru [1].
Parent body: CCRAS (autonomous, under Ministry of Ayush) [2].
Standard achieved: ISO 15189:2022 — international standard for medical laboratories – requirements for quality and competence [1].
Domains accredited: Biochemistry & Haematology [1].
NABL parameters covered: 50 [1][3].
Annual test volume: >1.5 lakh [1].
Funding scheme: Centre of Excellence Scheme, Ministry of Ayush [3].
Key officials quoted: Shri Prataprao Jadhav (MoS, Ayush — independent charge); Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha (Secretary, Ayush) [1].
Tests offered: blood glucose, HbA1c, LFT, KFT, lipid & thyroid profiles, electrolytes, CBC [3].

Scientific / Technological: ISO 15189:2022 enforces traceable measurement, risk management, and competence assurance — moves Ayush diagnostics from in-house testing to globally benchmarked precision [1][3].
Administrative / Governance: Validates the Centre of Excellence Scheme as a working delivery vehicle for quality upgrade in CCRAS labs [3].
Social / Health: Patients accessing Ayurveda care now get allopathy-grade diagnostics in the same facility — reducing parallel testing and out-of-pocket costs [1].
Ethical / Evidence-Based Practice: Secretary Kotecha framed it as reinforcing evidence-based practice and research in Ayush — addressing a chronic critique of AYUSH systems [1].
Economic: Lab handling 1.5 lakh+ tests/year creates a replicable model for the remaining 29 CCRAS peripheral institutes [1][2].

Apr 2026: ISO 15189:2022 accreditation announced [1].
Nov 2022 → 2026: Progression from NABL entry-level to full ISO accreditation [3].
CCRAS parallel initiatives: PRAGATI-2024, SPARK-4.0 (2025–26), MoU with Anuvadini AI for translation into 13 languages, Manthan-2025 planning meet [2].

ISO 15189:2022 governs medical laboratories (quality & competence) — not general QMS (that is ISO 9001) [1].
CARI Bengaluru is under CCRAS, which is under the Ministry of Ayush (not Ministry of Health & Family Welfare) [1][2].
CCRAS operates 30 peripheral institutes [2].
CARI Bengaluru is the first CCRAS lab with ISO 15189:2022 — in Biochemistry & Haematology [1].
NABL = National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (a constituent board of QCI) — granted accreditation for 50 parameters [1].
Annual test load: >1.5 lakh [1].
Upgrade funded under Centre of Excellence Scheme, Ministry of Ayush [3].
Union MoS Ayush (independent charge): Prataprao Jadhav [1].
Secretary, Ministry of Ayush: Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha [1].
NABL entry-level certification obtained in November 2022 [3].

GS-II: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health; Government policies and interventions.
GS-III: Science & Technology — developments and applications; Indigenous knowledge systems.
Possible question stems: 1. "Mainstreaming AYUSH requires not validation by tradition but validation by evidence." Discuss in light of recent quality-accreditation initiatives in CCRAS institutes. 2. Examine the role of international laboratory standards (ISO 15189) in strengthening public trust in India's traditional medicine systems. 3. Quality assurance, not capacity expansion alone, is the next frontier for AYUSH. Comment.

National AYUSH Mission (NAM) — flagship CSS funding AYUSH infra.
NABL & QCI — accreditation architecture in India.
Ministry of Ayush institutions — CCRAS, CCRH, CCRYN, CCRUM, CCRS.
National Medical Commission Act, 2019 & NCISM Act, 2020 — regulatory parallels for ISM.
Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Medicine & Homoeopathy (PCIM&H) — drug standardisation.
WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine, Jamnagar — global Ayush diplomacy.
Ayushman Bharat & AB-HWCs offering AYUSH services — service delivery.
Evidence-based medicine debate — clinical trial reforms for ASU drugs.

Confusing ISO 15189 (medical labs) with ISO 9001 (generic QMS) or ISO 17025 (testing/calibration labs).
Placing CCRAS under MoHFW — it is under Ministry of Ayush [2].
Confusing CCRAS (Ayurveda) with CCRH (Homoeopathy), CCRYN (Yoga & Naturopathy), CCRUM (Unani), CCRS (Siddha).
Assuming NABL is a ministry body — it is an autonomous board under Quality Council of India (QCI).
Treating "first ISO 15189 lab in India" — note it is the first within CCRAS, not nationally.