Kerala : Ayurvedic doctors can now present medical certificate for issuing driving license, as per govt order

Thiruvananthapuram: Days after the Kerala transport minister Antony Raju declared that ayurvedic doctors would be given the right to issue medical certificate for driving license, the government released a gazette order stating that practicing ayurvedic doctors in Kerala can now issue medical certificates for those who require a new driving license, or need to renew an existing one.

An order was issued in relation to this by the transport department on February 10. Till the order came, only allopathic doctors and Ayurveda doctors with postgraduate degrees could issue certificates, as per a media report in the Kerala Kaumudi.

Also Read:Now Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani practitioners can issue medical fitness certificates

The decision comes after the Indian Medical Council notified that the qualifications of BAMS doctors were equivalent to that MBBS doctors. 

In its gazette order, it states, "Now, the government have decided to appoint Ayurveda Medical Practitioners in Kerala who possess B.A.M.S degree also for issuing the medical certificate for the purpose of sub-section (3) of section 8 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 by amending the said notification. 

The Medical Dialogues team had earlier reported about the same decision which was confirmed by the Kerala Transport Minister Antony Raju after the director of Indian System of Medicine made a rectification stating that BAMS doctors are equally qualified like MBBS doctors to grant medical fitness certificate for driving license related process.

Also Read:Now Ayurvedic practitioners can issue medical certificate for driving license 

Medical Dialogues team had recently reported that as per an order, the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM) has clarified that registered practitioners of Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Sowa-Rigpa are now entitled to issue medical fitness certificates as per the provision of NCISM Act, 2020. According to it, "Ayush practitioners are entitled to sign or authenticate a medical certificate or any certificate required by law to be signed or authenticated by a duly qualified medical practitioner."