“One Herb, One Standard” to Strengthen Quality and Credibility of Traditional Medicines: Union Minister Shri Prataprao Jadhav

1. At a Glance

• "One Herb, One Standard" is an inter-ministerial initiative to harmonise quality/testing standards for medicinal plants used across India's traditional medicine systems and modern pharmacopoeia [1][2].
• Driven jointly by PCIM&H (Ministry of Ayush) and IPC (Ministry of Health & Family Welfare) to end the problem of the same herb having different quality standards in different pharmacopoeias [1][2].
• Relevant for UPSC as a recurring governance + health + traditional knowledge convergence topic, testable in Prelims (bodies/ministries) and Mains (federal/inter-ministerial coordination, AYUSH mainstreaming) [1][2].
• Renewed MoU (12 Aug 2026) builds on the original 2022 MoU and 50 monographs already developed [1].

2. Why in the News

• On 12 August 2026, PCIM&H and IPC renewed their MoU for a further three-year framework to advance the "One Herb, One Standard" initiative, exchanged by Dr. Kousthubha Upadhyaya (Director I/c, PCIM&H) and Dr. V. Kalaiselvan (Secretary-cum-Scientific Director, IPC), at Kartavya Bhavan, New Delhi [1].
• Union Minister of State (Ayush and Health & Family Welfare) Shri Prataprao Ganpatrao Jadhav called it a step to strengthen the quality and credibility of traditional medicines [1].

3. Background & Evolution

• 30 August 2022: Original MoU signed between PCIM&H and IPC for inter-ministerial cooperation to harmonise herbal drug standards, addressing the inconsistency where ASU&H Pharmacopoeias (Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, Homoeopathy) and the Indian Pharmacopoeia (IP) published divergent standards/analytical methods for the same herbal drugs [2].
• Signatories in 2022: Prof. P.K. Prajapati (Director, PCIM&H) and Shri Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi (Secretary-cum-Scientific Director, IPC), with Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha (Secretary, Ministry of Ayush) [2].
• Under the original MoU, PCIM&H retained sole publication authority for the harmonised monographs, while technical content was jointly developed [2].
• First phase output: 50 medicinal plant monographs developed under the collaboration [1].
• 12 August 2026: MoU renewed for a further three-year period to build a "stronger, coordinated framework" for standardisation [1].

4. Core Static Facts

Item	Detail
Initiative name	"One Herb, One Standard" [1][2]
Nodal bodies	PCIM&H (Ministry of Ayush) and IPC (Ministry of Health & Family Welfare) [1][2]
Parent ministries	Ministry of Ayush; Ministry of Health & Family Welfare [1][2]
Original MoU date	30 August 2022 [2]
Renewed MoU date	12 August 2026 [1]
Renewed framework duration	3 years [1]
Phase-1 output	50 medicinal plant monographs [1]
Systems covered	Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, Sowa-Rigpa, Homoeopathy, and modern (Indian Pharmacopoeia) drug standards [1][2]
Publication authority	PCIM&H holds sole publication authority for harmonised monographs [2]
Venue of renewal	Kartavya Bhavan, New Delhi [1]
Key Minister	Shri Prataprao Ganpatrao Jadhav, Minister of State, Ayush & Health and Family Welfare [1]

5. Multi-Dimensional Analysis

Administrative

• Demonstrates rare inter-ministerial standard-setting between Ayush and Health Ministries, both of which previously issued conflicting pharmacopoeial standards for the same herbs [2].
• Institutionalised via a renewable MoU (2022 → 2026), rather than a standalone statute, showing a soft-law/administrative-coordination model [1][2].

Scientific/Technological

• Core technical output is harmonised monographs — standardised identity, purity, and quality parameters for medicinal plants, replacing multiple divergent testing protocols [1][2].
• Supports scientific validation of traditional medicine, aiding evidence-based acceptance domestically and internationally [1].

Economic

• Unified standards improve trade competitiveness of Indian herbal/AYUSH exports by aligning with recognised pharmacopoeial benchmarks [2].
• Supports India's self-reliance (Atmanirbhar) agenda in herbal drug quality assurance, reducing dependence on foreign certification standards [2].

Governance/Regulatory

• Enhances credibility and consumer trust in traditional medicine products by ensuring uniform quality irrespective of which pharmacopoeia is referenced [1].
• PCIM&H's sole publication authority avoids duplication/conflict while keeping technical inputs collaborative [2].

Social

• Impacts public health quality assurance for a large consumer base relying on Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, Sowa-Rigpa, and Homoeopathy products [1].

6. Recent Developments (last 12–18 months)

• 12 August 2026: PCIM&H–IPC MoU renewed for three years, building on the 50 monographs from Phase 1; announced by Union Minister Shri Prataprao Jadhav [1].

7. Prelims Hooks

• "One Herb, One Standard" initiative involves PCIM&H (Ministry of Ayush) and IPC (Ministry of Health & Family Welfare) [1][2].
• Original MoU between PCIM&H and IPC signed on 30 August 2022 [2].
• Renewed MoU signed on 12 August 2026 for a further three-year period [1].
• PCIM&H = Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Medicine & Homoeopathy [1][2].
• IPC = Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission [1][2].
• IPC functions under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, not Ministry of Ayush [2].
• PCIM&H functions under the Ministry of Ayush [1][2].
• Phase-1 of the initiative produced 50 medicinal plant monographs [1].
• ASU&H stands for Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani & Homoeopathy pharmacopoeias [2].
• PCIM&H holds sole publication authority for the harmonised monographs under the MoU [2].
• The renewed MoU (2026) was exchanged at Kartavya Bhavan, New Delhi [1].
• Union Minister overseeing the announcement: Shri Prataprao Ganpatrao Jadhav, Minister of State for Ayush and for Health & Family Welfare [1].
• Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, Ministry of Ayush, was associated with both the 2022 and 2026 MoU events [1][2].

8. Mains Relevance

• GS-II: Government policies & interventions; issues relating to development and management of Health, Education, Human Resources — specifically AYUSH mainstreaming and inter-ministerial governance mechanisms [1][2].
• GS-III: Science & Technology developments; indigenous technology development; issues related to standardisation, quality control, and trade competitiveness of herbal products [1][2].
• Possible Mains question stems:
• "Discuss the significance of harmonising quality standards for medicinal plants under initiatives like 'One Herb, One Standard'. How does this affect the credibility and export competitiveness of India's traditional medicine sector?"
• "Inter-ministerial coordination is often cited as a bottleneck in Indian governance. Examine how the PCIM&H–IPC collaboration offers a model for overcoming such silos, with reference to standardisation of herbal drugs."
• "Critically evaluate the role of pharmacopoeial standardisation in mainstreaming AYUSH systems within India's public health framework."

9. Related Topics to Study Next

• AYUSH Ministry — structure and agencies (CCRAS, CCRUM, CCRS, NMPB) — parent ecosystem for traditional medicine standardisation [1].
• Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) — its role in setting drug standards for modern medicine under the Health Ministry [2].
• National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB) — related to medicinal plant cultivation/conservation, complements standardisation efforts.
• WHO Traditional Medicine initiatives (e.g., Global Traditional Medicine Centre in Jamnagar, Gujarat) — international dimension of India's traditional medicine push.
• Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, Sowa-Rigpa, Homoeopathy (ASU&H) systems — the underlying traditional medicine systems whose products are being standardised.
• India's AYUSH export policy and trade competitiveness — economic linkage to standardisation.
• Atmanirbhar Bharat in pharmaceuticals — self-reliance angle connected to reduced dependence on foreign quality certification.

10. Common Errors / Trap Areas

• Do not confuse PCIM&H (Ministry of Ayush) with IPC (Ministry of Health & Family Welfare) — they are distinct bodies under different ministries, which is precisely why the MoU is termed "inter-ministerial" [1][2].
• Do not assume "One Herb, One Standard" is a new (2026) scheme — the original MoU dates to 2022; 2026 is a renewal, not the launch [1][2].
• Avoid confusing this with the WHO's International Herbal Pharmacopoeia, which is a separate, WHO-led global initiative, not the India-specific PCIM&H–IPC framework (excluded here as it falls outside the primary sources retrieved).
• Note the Minister's full designation: Minister of State (not Cabinet Minister) for both Ayush and Health & Family Welfare — a frequent Prelims trap on ministerial rank [1].
• The initiative concerns quality/testing standards (monographs), not cultivation, conservation, or GI-tagging of medicinal plants — do not conflate with NMPB's mandate.