IMA Threatens Nationwide Doctors' Strike Over Maharashtra Government's CCMP Registration Policy

 

 

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has warned of a nationwide strike by doctors if the Maharashtra government does not withdraw its decision permitting holders of the Certificate Course in Modern Pharmacology (CCMP) to register with the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC).

In a letter addressed to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the IMA objected to the Government Resolution (GR) issued on August 3, 2026, under which registrations of CCMP-qualified doctors in the MMC began on August 5.

 

The association, in a letter signed by its national president Dr Anilkumar J Nayak and secretary general Dr Sarbari Dutta, has demanded immediate cancellation of both the GR and the CCMP course itself.

"The CCMP course has not been approved either by the National Medical Commission (NMC), which replaced the erstwhile Medical Council of India, or the National Commission for Homoeopathy (NCH)," the IMA said.

According to the association, permitting such registrations is contrary to established principles of medical education and professional regulation.

 

The doctors' body also questioned the legality of allowing dual registration in two different systems of medicine, describing such a practice as unprecedented in India and lacking any standard operating procedures or regulatory framework. It warned that registering CCMP doctors with the MMC could create confusion among patients regarding the qualifications and competence of practitioners.

The IMA further pointed out that the matter is currently pending before the Bombay High Court, where the amendment to the MMC Act has been challenged through a writ petition.

The doctors' body further said that the state government should not proceed with registrations while the issue remains sub judice.

 

Rejecting the argument that the move is needed to address shortages of doctors in rural areas, the IMA said circumstances have changed significantly since the MMC Act was amended in 2014. It noted that the Maharashtra government has already discontinued the compulsory rural bond system for MBBS graduates because sufficient numbers of qualified doctors are available and vacant rural posts are no longer an issue.

The association also maintained that equating MBBS graduates with doctors who have completed a part-time CCMP course doesn't value the rigorous medical education training of the students of modern medicine.

It further argued that regulation of medical education falls under national statutory bodies and cannot be altered solely through a state-level amendment.

 

Citing the Supreme Court's 1996 judgment in Poonam Verma vs Ashwin Patel, the IMA reiterated that practitioners registered in one system of medicine cannot prescribe or practise another system without recognised qualifications and valid registration.

The IMA warned that if the Maharashtra government does not reverse its decision, it will call for a nationwide strike involving modern medicine practitioners, medical students, resident doctors and interns across the country.