Rise of Pseudoscience in Medical Education in India: A Critical Analysis

Pseudoscience in Medical Education in India: Medical science depends on a single foundation: evidence. A drug is approved only after trials. A surgical method is accepted only after success is repeated and monitored. Treatment protocols are reviewed and debated continuously. The idea is simple: human life is precious, so medical claims must be proven.

In recent years, however, India has seen a rise in pseudoscience, ideas that claim to be scientific without meeting the standards of science. These claims often sound appealing because they link national pride, heritage, and culture.

In a Ballari District hospital of Karnataka, some pregnant women refused to give birth during a lunar eclipse due to superstition. Doctors had to act when their oxygen levels dropped. This happened in a modern government hospital of the state which launces space rocket, not a remote village. The incident shows that superstition still exists even in educated places. Despite progress in science and medicine, old beliefs still control people’s actions.

They are sometimes promoted by political leaders, cultural organisations, and influential public figures. They can spread faster than real scientific understanding because they are emotionally satisfying and easy to communicate.

This trend has now entered medical education, which is a serious concern. When doctors in training are exposed to pseudoscience, the risk is not theoretical. It affects diagnosis, treatment, and the lives of real patients.

Medicine cannot run on belief. It can only run on proof.

This article examines how pseudoscience is spreading, who is promoting it, the political incentives behind it, and the consequences for medical education and public health in India.

Understanding Pseudoscience in the Medical Context

Pseudoscience refers to beliefs, treatments, or systems that claim to be scientific but lack evidence, cannot be independently verified, and do not follow scientific methodology.

The core difference between medical science and pseudoscience is not tradition or origin. It is testability and reproducibility.

Examples of Pseudoscience in Medical Education in India:

• Claiming cow urine cures cancer without clinical trials
• Promoting ancient mythical surgeries as historical facts
• Suggesting chanting or astrology as medical treatment
• Training Ayurveda students to perform modern surgical procedures without equivalent anatomical training

Pseudoscience is not the same as traditional medicine. Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani have real medicinal value, but their claims must also pass the same testing standards required in modern medicine.

Science does not discriminate.

Anything that works under controlled, peer-reviewed conditions is science. Anything that does not must be improved, tested, or discarded.

A belief becomes knowledge only when it survives testing.

The issue arises when untestable beliefs are presented to medical students as equivalent to proven clinical methods.

The Constitution of India clearly supports scientific thinking. Article 51A(h) states that every citizen has a fundamental duty to develop a scientific temper and spirit of inquiry. This means medical education must be based on evidence and tested knowledge, not belief-based claims. While Article 25 gives freedom of religion, it does not allow unverified treatments to replace scientific medicine. Allowing pseudoscience in medical training goes against the constitutional vision of a rational, modern, and health-secure India.

How Pseudoscience Is Being Promoted in India

Mythology Presented as Medical History

In 2014, at the Indian Science Congress, speakers claimed that Lord Ganesha’s head transplant was proof of ancient Indian plastic surgery. The event was widely reported by The Hindu, Indian Express, and NDTV. Nobel laureates criticized the platform for promoting religion-based claims at a scientific conference.

Such statements create confusion among students about what constitutes historical evidence.

When mythology is taught as medical history, science collapses into storytelling.

Claims About Cow Urine as Cure

Cow urine (gomutra) has cultural and religious value in India. Respecting tradition is not the problem. The problem begins when medical claims are made without evidence.

Several political and cultural leaders have promoted cow urine as a cancer cure. However, no large-scale, double-blind, peer-reviewed clinical trial has ever demonstrated its effectiveness.

Pragya Singh Thakur (BJP MP) said in 2020 that cow urine helped her recover from cancer. Doctors clarified that she was also receiving chemotherapy, meaning it is impossible to attribute recovery to cow urine alone.

The Gujarat government funded cow urine research institutes, yet none have published internationally recognized clinical results.

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has never approved cow urine as a cancer treatment.

The Push for Ayurvedic Surgery Training

In 2020, the National Medical Commission (NMC) allowed BAMS graduates to perform certain surgeries. This was strongly opposed by:

• The Indian Medical Association (IMA)
• Former AIIMS directors
• Senior surgical departments across states

The medical community called it “mixopathy”, warning that surgery requires:

• Years of cadaver dissection
• ICU training
• Advanced anatomical understanding

How Politics Amplifies Pseudoscience

This rise of pseudoscience is not accidental. It connects to a broader ideological project to present India’s past as scientifically superior to the modern world.

Pseudoscience does not spread because evidence supports it. It spreads because:

1. It appeals emotionally to cultural pride
2. It aligns with political nationalism narratives
3. It is easier to communicate than complex science

Role of the BJP-RSS Ideological Narrative

The RSS and several BJP cultural figures have argued for many years that ancient India possessed unparalleled scientific advancements, and that Western science is overvalued.

The intention is to restore cultural confidence and national pride, which is an understandable social goal.

This creates a narrative that:

• “We had everything first”
• “Modern science just rediscovered Indian knowledge”
• “Reject Western science, revive ancient science”

This narrative is not harmful if combined with research and validation.

However, the problem arises when claims are treated as truth without testing.

Public statements that have contributed to this trend:

Public Figure	Statement	Scientific Issue
Vasudev Devnani, Former Rajasthan Education Minister (2017)	“The cow is the only animal that exhales oxygen.”	Biologically incorrect. All mammals inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide.
Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, BJP MP (2020)	“Gomutra cured my cancer.”	Anecdotal claim. No clinical trial proof.
Baba Ramdev, Yoga Promoter (2021)	“Allopathy is stupid science.”	Widely criticised by IMA and specialists.
2019 Ayurveda Day Speech by Senior RSS Office Bearers	“Ancient India had advanced organ transplant techniques.”	No anatomical, surgical, or archaeological evidence.

The narrative is politically rewarding because:

• It aligns with cultural pride
• It strengthens identity-based support
• It creates emotional appeal

However, science cannot operate on emotion.

Read Also: AYUSH vs Allopathy: What Are the Legal & Medical Limits?

Why Pseudoscience Finds an Audience

Emotional Appeal

Stories of a glorious past are attractive. They make people feel proud.

Science Education Gaps

India’s school and coaching systems focus on memorization, not questioning. Students rarely learn:

• How to evaluate evidence
• How clinical trials work
• How research is peer-reviewed

Evidence is not disrespect. Questioning is not betrayal.

Religious and Cultural Sensitivity

People hesitate to challenge pseudoscientific claims because they fear appearing anti-culture or anti-religion.

Market and Industry Influence

Herbal and alternative medicine markets are worth thousands of crores. Commercial incentives encourage exaggerated claims.

Why Pseudoscientific Thinking is Rising in India

Multiple social, technological, cultural, and institutional factors are fueling this trend. Several of these forces developed gradually, but the acceleration after 2020 has been unprecedented.

Rapid Spread of Health Misconceptions on Social Media

Short-form video platforms, messaging groups, and influencer-driven health content offer simplified narratives that often ignore scientific depth.

Reels that promise:

• “Reverse diabetes in 30 days”
• “Heal liver without medicine”
• “Cure cancer naturally through diet”

receive millions of views because they appear easy, hopeful, and emotionally appealing.

Students entering MBBS already carry exposure to these claims. Without early training in critical reasoning, these ideas can become internalised.

Emotional Appeal of “Natural” or “Traditional” Claims

There is a cultural pride attached to India’s long heritage of healing systems. This heritage deserves respect, historical study, and scientific evaluation. The problem arises when:

• Tradition is used as a substitute for modern evidence.
• Claims are shielded from criticism by calling them “cultural identity”.
• Medical students are told not to question these claims for fear of being “westernised”.

Unquestionability is the opposite of science.

Weak Foundation in School-Level Scientific Reasoning

Many students arrive in medical college having prepared primarily for NEET, which emphasises memory-heavy problem-solving rather than conceptual reasoning.

They may know pathways and classifications, yet struggle with:

• Evaluating research papers
• Differentiating correlation and causation
• Understanding limitations of clinical data

This creates a fertile environment for appealing yet unverified ideas to take root.

Ambiguity in Policy Messaging Around “Integrative Medicine”

The idea of integrating traditional and modern medicine is often presented without clear boundaries. This creates confusion.

Medical students sometimes hear:

• “All systems are equal.”
• “Everything is science if people believe in it.”
• “Do not question traditional medical claims.”

Such messaging reduces clarity instead of fostering thoughtful interdisciplinary understanding.

To integrate systems scientifically, one must first evaluate efficacy through trials, not sentiment.

Read Also: History of Medical Education in India: Ancient to Modern Reforms

Where Pseudoscience Appears Inside Medical Education

The problem is not limited to public discourse. It has entered the academic and clinical environment.

Classroom Discussions Influenced by Non-Scientific Assertions

Some faculties, intentionally or unintentionally, introduce beliefs not grounded in modern physiology or pathology, such as energy-based disease theories, unsupported detox concepts, or speculative nutritional claims.

Students often lack the confidence to question senior instructors.

Coaching Institutes Encouraging “Tricks Over Understanding”

Medical entrance and postgraduate preparation institutes sometimes teach mnemonics, memory hacks, and shortcuts while neglecting conceptual reasoning. This reinforces rote-thinking rather than analytical medical judgment.

Medical Professionals Promoting Unverified Therapies Publicly

Some doctors turn into online influencers and endorse treatments without proper clinical backing. Their authority makes unverified claims appear legitimate.

This worsens public confusion and weakens the credibility of the profession.

Impact on MBBS Students and Future Doctors

The consequences are measurable and deeply concerning.

Weak Clinical Judgment

Students exposed to pseudoscience rely on anecdotal reasoning:

• “If it worked once, it works.”
• “Patient improvement means treatment was effective.”

Clinical reasoning requires structured differential diagnosis, not assumptions.

Reduced Research and Scientific Curiosity

If students believe answers already exist through belief or tradition, they have little motivation to engage in research or innovation.

Confusion in Patient Communication

Doctors must explain conditions and treatments confidently. Students influenced by pseudoscience may communicate conflicting advice, damaging trust.

Risk to Patients

Patients may:

• Delay proven treatment
• Spend money on ineffective therapies
• Suffer progression of disease due to wrong guidance

This is not a theoretical risk. It is real and accelerates morbidity.

Why People Believe What They Want to Believe?

Humans are wired to prefer simple answers, emotional comfort, and certainty. Modern medicine is complex, sometimes expensive, and often slow. This makes dramatic promises sound appealing.

Students are not immune to these psychological tendencies.

The goal is not to shame anyone for belief. The goal is to create educational systems that build the ability to evaluate claims rationally.

Restoring Evidence-Based Thinking in Medical Education

The solution requires academic, institutional, and cultural reforms, not blame.

Strengthen Research Literacy in the MBBS Curriculum

Students should learn:

• How to read clinical trials
• What constitutes quality evidence
• How to evaluate medical claims

This must begin early in first year MBBS, not during internship.

Introduce Mandatory Critical Thinking Courses

Courses should include:

• Logic and reasoning
• Cognitive biases
• Scientific method
• Evaluation of pseudoscientific claims

These are essential skills, not optional extras.

Clear Policy Boundaries on Integrative Medicine

If different systems are to coexist, each must present:

• Specific evidence standards
• Clinical mechanism explanations
• Clear indications and limitations

Clarity prevents confusion.

Professional Ethics Guidelines for Public Medical Communication

Medical councils and universities should train students in responsible public communication, especially online.

Encourage a Culture of Questioning

A good medical classroom welcomes:

• “Why”
• “How”
• “Show the data”

Critical questioning strengthens learning and clinical confidence.

A strong healthcare system depends on doctors who think clearly, evaluate evidence, and make decisions based on data and patient well-being, not belief or emotional appeal.

Pseudoscience disrupts this foundation. It replaces inquiry with conformity and evidence with assumption.

India has one of the largest medical education systems in the world. The country has the opportunity to set a global example by reaffirming scientific rigor as the core of medical training.

Protecting science in medical education is not just an academic responsibility. It is a responsibility to every patient whose life depends on the judgment of a doctor.

The future of Indian healthcare depends on the strength of science in its classrooms today.