Maharashtra has become the first state in India to allow qualified homeopathy practitioners to prescribe certain modern medicines after completing a one-year Certificate Course in Modern Pharmacology (CCMP), according to a report by TOI. The move has triggered strong opposition from the Indian Medical Association (IMA) and several doctors' organisations, which have announced a statewide strike over concerns about patient safety and medical standards.
The Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) began registering BHMS-CCMP practitioners on Tuesday night, following a government resolution directing it to start the process immediately, TOI reported.
Maharashtra Medical Council begins BHMS-CCMP registrations
According to TOI, the MMC issued its first online registration certificate to a BHMS-CCMP practitioner on Tuesday evening, formally allowing eligible doctors to prescribe modern medicines within the framework laid down by the state government.
Homeopathy practitioners have long argued that they faced discrimination despite completing additional training in modern pharmacology. The latest decision fulfils a long-standing demand of thousands of BHMS-CCMP doctors across the state.
IMA announces statewide strike
The decision has prompted the IMA to join the Central Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (Central MARD) and several other medical organisations in protest.
IMA Maharashtra president Dr Santosh Kulkarni said that all regular (elective) and non-emergency medical services would be withdrawn from Wednesday midnight until 6 am on Thursday. He warned that if the government failed to take "concrete and satisfactory" action, an indefinite strike, including emergency medical services, would begin from 6 am on Thursday.
The agitation is being supported by the Maharashtra State Resident Doctors Association, the Association of State Medical Interns, the Maharashtra Association of Gazetted Medical Officers' Group-A and the Maharashtra State Medical Teachers Association.
Doctors cite patient safety concerns
In a joint statement, the protesting organisations said they supported Central MARD's stand, arguing that patient safety, evidence-based medical practice and the integrity of modern medicine must not be compromised.
They demanded that the registration and implementation of the BHMS-CCMP programme should be halted until the Bombay High Court delivers its final verdict and a comprehensive, legally sound and scientifically validated regulatory framework is put in place.
Homeopathy practitioners welcome the decision
The move has been welcomed by homeopathy practitioners and their representative bodies.
According to TOI, Maharashtra Council of Homeopathy administrator Dr Bahubali Shah confirmed that the first BHMS-CCMP registration had been completed and said the process was initiated in line with the government's recent resolution.
Coordinator of the Homeopathic Federation, Pune, Dr Chandan Lokhande said the one-year CCMP course had been designed by a government-appointed committee in 2014 comprising legal experts, medical professionals and healthcare administrators. He added that the course was approved by both Houses of the Maharashtra Legislature and incorporated into the state's legal framework.
The controversy
The issue has been under debate for several years. In July 2025, more than 9,000 homeopathy doctors staged a hunger strike at Mumbai's Azad Maidan after the government suspended the registration process following objections from the IMA. The protest ended after the state assured practitioners that the matter would be reviewed.
BHMS-CCMP practitioners undergo four-and-a-half years of Bachelor of Homeopathic Medicine and Surgery (BHMS) education, followed by a one-year internship and an additional one-year Certificate Course in Modern Pharmacology before becoming eligible for registration under the new framework.
