Maharashtra puts CCMP homeopaths' medical council registration on hold
Doctor
New Delhi: Amid the ongoing protests, the Maharashtra Government has directed the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) to stay the registration process for homeopaths having a Certificate Course in Modern Pharmacology (CCMP) till a final decision in this regard is taken by the Bombay High Court or the Government.
The order was signed by a section officer in the Department of Medical Education and Drugs and was issued on Tuesday, HT has reported. It stated that issuing further registration certificates would not be appropriate till the crisis engendered by the allopathic doctors' opposition to the move subsides or the High Court bench takes a decision in this regard.
So far, the MMC has registered only one homeopath, on August 4, after the state government allowed homeopaths with a Certificate Course in Modern Pharmacology (CCMP) to register with the council and prescribe allopathic medicines. The high court is scheduled to hear the matter, which was filed in 2014, on August 21-23.
On August 3, 2026, the Maharashtra Government formed a panel for initiating the conditional registration process of Bachelor of Homeopathic Medicine and Surgery (BHMS) practitioners holding the Certificate Course in Modern Pharmacology (CCMP) with the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC). It also constituted a six-member committee to define the competencies, ethical framework, and Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for handling negligence cases involving CCMP-qualified BHMS doctors registered with the Maharashtra Medical Council.
Opposing this move, the Indian Medical Association, Maharashtra State, with support from Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors, Association of State Medical Interns and other medical organisations, declared a 24-hour withdrawal of medical services as a protest. After the High Court's intervention, the strike was finally withdrawn. However, the Government has now halted the registration process till a final decision is reached in this regard by either the Government or the High Court.
Confirming the same, MARD mentioned in a recent Press Release dated 18.08.2026, "In its communication dated 18 August 2026 addressed to the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC), the Medical Education and Drugs Department of the Government of Maharashtra has stated that issuance of the relevant certificates would be appropriate only after the prevailing situation settles, the procedure is finalised, and/or the final decision of the Hon’ble Court is received. Effectively, this places the CCMP certification process on hold until the final court decision and further government directions."
"This development comes after the joint agitation, strike and sustained follow-up by Central MARD and IMA, raising concerns regarding patient safety, professional standards and the protection of modern medical practice," it added.
Welcoming the move, MARD added that it would closely monitor the matter until the final judicial decision and a clear, legally sustainable policy are implemented. "Our stand remains clear: patient safety, quality medical care and protection of professional standards must remain paramount," said the association.
Order to be Revoked?
After the State decided to halt the registration of homeopaths having a CCMP degree at around 11 AM on Tuesday, homeopaths from across the city gathered in Azad Maidan protesting against the issue. In fact, a delegation of the Integrated Doctors Association (IDA), comprising doctors from non-allopathic systems of medicine, also met with the Minister for Medical Education, Hasan Mushrif and sought his intervention.
Commenting on the matter, IDA Secretary Dr. Sayyed Abrar told Hindustan Times, "The minister assured us that he will revoke the order tomorrow. He said he was unaware of the order and wondered how a junior official from his own ministry had issued it without his approval."
Meanwhile, the Indian Medical Association has warned that its members in Maharashtra could surrender their Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) registrations if additional homeopaths are allowed to register with the council. IMA Maharashtra president Dr Santosh Kulkarni said the matter remains sub judice, with a court verdict expected this month. He warned that thousands of IMA-affiliated doctors could surrender their registrations if more homeopaths are registered or action is taken against MMC administrator Dr Vinky Rughwani. IMA has also urged the government to take legal action against homeopathic association office-bearers for allegedly interfering with MMC functions.
CCMP registration row:
Medical Dialogues had been reporting on the continuous dispute between homeopaths and allopathy doctors in Maharashtra over the direction issued to the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) to grant registration to BHMS practitioners who have done a Certificate Course in Modern Pharmacology (CCMP).
The CCMP course was started based on the Government Resolution dated 13.03.2014. The course was conducted under the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS), Nashik. After successful completion, eligible homeopathic practitioners received training in allopathic (modern) medicine to serve in public healthcare services.
In 2014, the Maharashtra Medical Council issued a notice in which the council was given the authority to ask all doctors who have completed the CCMP course to register with the council. Back in 2017, the Maharashtra Medical Education and Drugs Department had passed a notification, allowing Homoeopathy practitioners across the State to practice modern medicine. As per the special notification issued on 27th September 2017, doctors who obtained the Licentiate of Court of Examiners of Homeopathy (LCEH) degree from 1951-1982, could register with the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC).
However, this directive was strongly opposed by allopathic doctors in the state, who questioned how homeopaths could be permitted to register with the Medical Council. They argued that this could jeopardize patient safety and even threatened to strike if the order was implemented.
