Maharashtra Medical Strike Intensifies Over Modern Medicine Rights for Homeopaths
Resident doctors across Maharashtra have withdrawn routine medical services to protest a state resolution allowing homeopathy practitioners to register with the Maharashtra Medical Council. While the Bombay High Court has ordered an immediate return to work, medical associations argue the policy dil
Key takeaways
- Maharashtra resident doctors are striking against a government resolution allowing homeopaths with bridge certificates to register with the MMC.
- The Bombay High Court has legally mandated that doctors resume work immediately while promising to hear their professional concerns.
- Medical associations argue that a one-year certificate cannot replace the rigorous five-and-a-half-year MBBS training and residency requirements.
- The dispute stems from 2014 legislative amendments that authorized CCMP-qualified practitioners to prescribe specific allopathic medicines.
Why It Matters
The conflict centers on the professional boundary between allopathic medicine and alternative practices. Allopathic doctors argue that allowing practitioners with a one-year bridge course to perform duties traditionally reserved for those with five-and-a-half years of MBBS training compromises the integrity of the medical profession. The outcome of this dispute will define the legal scope of practice for thousands of healthcare providers in Maharashtra and set a precedent for how different medical disciplines interact within the state regulatory framework.
Background
The legislative roots of this friction date back to 2014, when the state amended the Maharashtra Medical Council Act and the Maharashtra Homoeopathic Practitioners’ Act. These changes aimed to grant BHMS (Homeopathy) practitioners the right to register with the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) after completing a Certificate Course in Modern Pharmacology (CCMP). Although the government attempted to implement these registrations in mid-2025, previous strikes by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) forced a temporary retraction. The controversy reignited on August 3, 2026, when the Medical Education Department issued a resolution to form a committee for establishing a regulatory framework for these practitioners.
Key Facts
- Over 2,000 doctors across Maharashtra, led by the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD), have participated in the service withdrawal starting August 5, 2026.
- The protest was triggered by the first MMC registration of a CCMP-qualified homeopath, Dr. Neha Pawar, on August 3.
- Protesting institutions include major Mumbai centers such as KEM Hospital, Sion Hospital, BYL Nair Hospital, and Dr. R. N. Cooper Hospital.
- The state currently has 33 colleges offering the CCMP course, with approximately 1,100 homeopathy doctors awaiting registration approval.
- Doctors have restricted their activities to emergency services, completely suspending routine outpatient department (OPD) operations.
What Happens Next
The Bombay High Court has intervened, directing the medical staff to end their strike and resume duties immediately. The court has assured the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors that their grievances will be heard during legal proceedings. Meanwhile, BMC MARD president Dr. Rutuja Raut indicated that while government representatives have met with protesters, no written guarantees have been issued. Further discussions are expected to take place with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to address demands for the suspension of the MMC registration process until a final judicial verdict is reached.
Source: The Hindu — National
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