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The Maharashtra Council of Indian Medicine (MCIM) has issued guidelines linking Continuing Medical Education (CME) programmes to the five-year registration renewal of Ayurvedic (BAMS) and Unani (BUMS) doctors, triggering allegations from practitioners that the move is leading to commercial exploitation.
As per the guidelines, practitioners are required to earn 50 CME credit points in every five-year renewal cycle. Of these, at least 30 credits must be obtained through an MCIM-affiliated online CME platform, operated by a single private company, at a cost of Rs 600 per session. Doctors are also required to earn a minimum of six credits per year through the same platform.
However, a group of doctors under the banner of the Forum Against Commercialisation of Education has alleged that the policy effectively forces practitioners to pay for CME through a single MCIM-linked provider, despite the availability of multiple free and low-cost educational platforms.
“Doctors welcome CME as it helps upgrade knowledge and clinical skills. What we object to is being compelled to earn credits only through one MCIM-affiliated company, and at such high rates, when quality CME is available for free on multiple platforms,” said Dr Vivek Korde, founder-president of the Forum. The group has written to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis seeking intervention.
The controversy has been further fuelled by apparent contradictions between MCIM’s circular and statements made by its office-bearers. While the circular states that practitioners will not be eligible for registration renewal without completing the prescribed CME credits, MCIM officials have said that CME cannot be made mandatory under existing law.
Administrator of MCIM, Dr Raman Ghugralekar, told The Indian Express that there is no legal provision under the Maharashtra Medical Practitioners Act, 1961 to link CME completion with registration renewal for Ayurvedic and Unani doctors. “The guidelines are issued in line with centrally issued instructions on CME for Indian Medicine practitioners. However, until the Act is amended, CME cannot be made compulsory for registration renewal,” he said.
Doctors, however, argue that the wording of the circular creates pressure and confusion among practitioners, effectively making CME mandatory in practice, if not in law. They have demanded that MCIM withdraw the clause mandating credits from a single affiliated platform and ensure transparency in CME accreditation.
