The All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) in New Delhi, an autonomous body under the Ministry of Ayush, has launched a new skill-development course called Garbhini Mitra for the 2026–27 academic session. The programme is designed to build a workforce capable of guiding women through pregnancy and the weeks that follow, blending traditional Ayurvedic principles with practical, community-facing training.
Structured around the classical frameworks of antenatal, postnatal and pre-conceptional care described in Ayurvedic texts, the course runs as a six-month, in-person programme held on weekday afternoons. Trainees will work through trimester-specific nutrition planning, safe lifestyle and yoga practices, emotional support techniques for labour, newborn massage, and foundational life-support skills, alongside modules on infection control, biomedical waste handling and workplace safety.
Based at AIIA’s Sarita Vihar campus, each batch will accept 20 trainees. Applicants need to have cleared Class 12 from a recognised board and be at least 18 years old; those still awaiting their results this year can apply provisionally. Graduates of the programme are expected to find placements as maternal wellness assistants and antenatal support workers across Ayush centres, maternity clinics, NGOs and community health initiatives.
AIIA has been clear that the initiative is meant to sit alongside, not substitute, standard clinical antenatal care — essential check-ups, lab tests and blood pressure or haemoglobin monitoring remain unchanged. Instead, trained Garbhini Mitras are positioned to spot early warning signs at the community level and direct women toward timely medical attention.
Written By: Sayan Das
Graphics by: Pramit Hazra
