How to Choose a Genuine Ayurveda Centre: Certifications and Red Flags

Ayurveda is popular, and the word is used for everything from a hospital-style residential clinic to a ten-minute beach massage. If you're planning a stay that involves doctor-supervised treatment, it's worth checking what sits behind the label. This guide explains the public certifications and checks you can use yourself. LongevityVeda hasn't certified or verified any centre. The checks below are things you can do directly with the issuing bodies.

1. NABH accreditation (national)

The National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH) is India's national healthcare accreditation body. It has published separate standards for:

• AYUSH hospitals
• Panchakarma clinics, covering patient assessment, informed consent, monitoring, infection control and qualified staff (NABH Panchakarma standards)
• AYUSH Treatment and Wellness Centres (NABH ATWC standards)

How to check: ask for the certificate number. NABH publishes certificates showing the organisation name, address, scope and validity dates. For example, certificate AH-2024-0250 is issued to Kairali - The Ayurvedic Healing Village in Palakkad and is valid until April 2027 (NABH certificate). Make sure the name, address and dates match the centre you're booking.

2. Kerala Tourism classification (state)

Kerala's Department of Tourism runs a classification scheme for Ayurveda centres. The current categories are Ayur Silver, Ayur Gold and Ayur Diamond, with Diamond for the highest level of facilities (Kerala Tourism classification). The older Olive Leaf and Green Leaf labels were replaced after a 2019 revision, so a centre still advertising "Green Leaf" may be showing an outdated status.

How to check: the department publishes a dated list of approved centres with category, order number and validity (approved list). Search it for the centre's name and check the "valid up to" date.

Other states have their own tourism and health departments. Classification schemes like Kerala's aren't universal, so a centre in Tamil Nadu or Karnataka won't have a Kerala classification.

3. Doctor qualifications

Ayurveda practitioners in India are registered with state boards or councils of Indian Medicine. Common degrees include BAMS (Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery) and MD/MS (Ayurveda). Ask:

• Who is the chief physician, and what's their qualification?
• Are they registered with a state board, and can you share the registration number?
• Is a doctor consultation included on arrival and during the stay?
• Who will see me day to day: a doctor, or therapists under a doctor's supervision?

4. Clarity of programme and pricing

Genuine centres usually explain:

• What a programme includes day by day
• How long classical programmes take, often weeks (see our [Panchakarma guide](./02-panchakarma-explained.md))
• What's included in the price: room, food, medicines, consultations
• Cancellation terms

5. Medicines and safety

The US National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health notes that some Ayurvedic products have been found to contain lead, mercury or arsenic (NCCIH). Ask where medicines are made, whether they come from a licensed manufacturer, and whether you'll get a written list of what you're given. Share that list with your own doctor.

Red flags

• Cure guarantees. Promises to "cure" serious diseases. Responsible providers talk about care, support and individual assessment, not guaranteed outcomes.
• Telling you to stop prescribed medication without talking to your prescribing doctor.
• "Full Panchakarma in 3 days." That doesn't match the multi-week structure described in the classical and government sources.
• No named doctor, or a doctor who can't be identified.
• Expired or unverifiable certificates, or an outdated "Green Leaf" claim with no current classification.
• Pressure to pay everything up front in cash with no written terms.
• Reviews that are all very recent, generic and five-star.

A quick verification checklist

1. NABH certificate number checked on nabh.co (if claimed)
2. State classification checked on the official list (Kerala)
3. Chief doctor named, with qualification and registration
4. Written programme and itemised quote
5. Medicine sourcing explained
6. Clear cancellation policy
7. Independent reviews across several platforms and years

How LongevityVeda handles this

LongevityVeda is a connector platform. Providers provide their own information and are responsible for it. Where providers list certifications, we encourage them to include certificate numbers so you can check directly with NABH or the relevant state department. A listing on LongevityVeda isn't an endorsement or a verification.

FAQ

What is NABH for Ayurveda?

NABH is India's national hospital accreditation board. It publishes standards for AYUSH hospitals, Panchakarma clinics and AYUSH wellness centres.

Is Green Leaf still valid?

Kerala replaced Green Leaf and Olive Leaf with Ayur Silver, Gold and Diamond in its 2019 revision (Kerala Tourism).

What qualifications should an Ayurveda doctor have?

Commonly BAMS, or an MD/MS in Ayurveda, with registration on a state board of Indian Medicine.

Are uncertified centres unsafe?

Not necessarily. Certification is voluntary. Use the other checks too.

Has LongevityVeda verified the centres it lists?

No. Providers supply their own information. Please check certificates directly with the issuing body.

Sources

• NABH Panchakarma Clinic Standards: https://portal.nabh.co/images/Standards/18.%20Panchakarma%20Clinic%20Accreditation%20Standards%20-%201st%20Edition.pdf
• NABH AYUSH Treatment & Wellness Centre Standards: https://portal.nabh.co/images/Standards/NABH%20Accreditation%20Standards%20for%20Ayush%20Treatment%20and%20Wellness%20Centres%20-%201st%20Edition.pdf
• NABH certificate AH-2024-0250: https://portal.nabh.co/Documents/AccreditedList/AYUSH%20Hospitals/AH-2024-0250.pdf
• Kerala Tourism classification: https://www.keralatourism.org/cls/ayurveda-centres/index.php/
• Kerala Tourism approved list: https://www.keralatourism.org/where_to_stay/download_approved_list/1
• NCCIH: https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/ayurvedic-medicine-in-depth

About this guide: LongevityVeda is a directory that connects travellers with independent providers. This guide summarises publicly available information from the sources linked above. It is not medical advice, and LongevityVeda has not inspected, visited or verified any provider mentioned or linked here. Providers are responsible for their own claims and services. Talk to a qualified doctor before starting any treatment programme.