3 weeks ago
Bengal doctors oppose Maharashtra bridge course for homoeopathy practitioners
In India, there are different kinds of doctors.
Some use modern medicines, while others, like homeopathy doctors, use a different system of healing.
The government of Maharashtra wanted to let homeopathy doctors who finish a special one-year class also give modern medicines to patients.
Many modern medicine doctors thought this was an unsafe idea and stopped working to protest.
They called the plan 'mixopathy,' a word they used to say mixing two different kinds of medicine is wrong.
A very important court, the Bombay High Court, told the protesting doctors to go back to work so patients would not suffer.
The state's leader, Devendra Fadnavis, said all doctors are equal no matter which system they trained in.
The protesting doctors said a short course can never replace years of medical school and hospital training.
The government paused the plan, and then more than 9,000 homeopathy doctors went on a hunger strike because they were upset.
Some people say the plan would help when there are not enough doctors, but others say it could be dangerous for patients.
The Maharashtra government issued a Government Resolution on July 23, 2026 directing the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) to register CCMP-qualified homoeopathy practitioners so they can prescribe allopathic medicines.
Bengal doctors from groups such as the Service Doctors' Forum, West Bengal Junior Doctors' Forum and AMHR denounced the move as unscientific 'mixopathy' that endangers patient safety.
The Bombay High Court ordered protesting modern medicine doctors to end their indefinite strike and return to work, citing the impact on patients in hospitals.
The Indian Medical Association's legal challenge against the State of Maharashtra (Writ Petition No. 7846 of 2014) remains pending while registrations were opened and then suspended.
More than 9,000 homoeopathy practitioners launched hunger strikes at Azad Maidan and threatened to march to Mantralaya, demanding that the registration process be restored.
- Who
- Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, modern medicine doctors' groups including the Service Doctors' Forum, West Bengal Junior Doctors' Forum and AMHR, the Bombay High Court, and more than 9,000 CCMP-qualified homoeopathy practitioners.
- What
- A dispute over registering CCMP-qualified homoeopathy practitioners with the Maharashtra Medical Council so they can prescribe allopathic medicines, which modern medicine doctors call unscientific 'mixopathy'.
- Where
- Maharashtra, India, with homoeopathy practitioners holding hunger strikes at Azad Maidan and doctors in Bengal raising objections.
- When
- After the Maharashtra government issued a Government Resolution on July 23, 2026; strikes and hunger strikes were ongoing at the time of reporting.
- Why
- The government opened the registration process saying it cited High Court orders, while doctors oppose the bridge course on scientific integrity, training and patient safety grounds and say it masks a doctor shortage.
Modern Medicine Doctors
Maharashtra Government and Homoeopathy Advocates
Scientific validity of bridge courses
Modern Medicine Doctors
The CCMP institutionalises 'mixopathy,' an unscientific agenda that blurs boundaries between distinct systems of medicine and could jeopardise patient safety.
Maharashtra Government and Homoeopathy Advocates
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis says all doctors are equal regardless of which system of medicine they belong to, and the state opened registration citing past High Court orders.
The High Court's role
Modern Medicine Doctors
The Bombay High Court did not direct the state to register CCMP-qualified homeopaths; it only allowed conditional registrations under the 2014 amendments pending the IMA's writ petition.
Maharashtra Government and Homoeopathy Advocates
The chief minister claimed the government opened the MMC registration process for homoeopaths who completed CCMP, citing past orders of the High Court.
Doctor shortage and healthcare needs
Modern Medicine Doctors
The decision appears aimed at plugging India's doctor shortage rather than improving healthcare, and a six-month or one-year course cannot bridge the gap between AYUSH and modern medicine.
Maharashtra Government and Homoeopathy Advocates
More than 9,000 homoeopathy practitioners demanded that the suspended registration process be restored, staging hunger strikes and threatening to march to Mantralaya.
Key facts
- Bridge Course
- Certificate Course in Modern Pharmacology (CCMP) - a one-year programme training BHMS graduates in rational allopathic drug prescribing
- Government Resolution
- Issued July 23, 2026, directing MMC to immediately open its portal and register CCMP-qualified homoeopaths
- Pending Legal Challenge
- Indian Medical Association vs State of Maharashtra, Writ Petition No. 7846 of 2014, with the matter sub judice
- Homeopath Protests
- More than 9,000 practitioners held hunger strikes at Azad Maidan demanding restored registrations
- Doctor-Population Ratio
- India's ratio cited as 1:811 including AYUSH practitioners
- Current Status
- Registration process suspended by the state amid opposition from allopathic medical associations
- Chief Minister's Stance
- Fadnavis: 'All doctors are equal, irrespective of which system of medicine they belong to'
Quotes
Dr Debasis Halder
Spokesperson for the West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Forum
“"This is not a step towards strengthening healthcare. It is an attempt to institutionalise mixopathy by blurring the boundaries between distinct systems of medicine."”
telegraphindia.com
“"mixopathy", which he described as “nothing more than the National Medical Council’s agenda” and “extremely unscientific.””
telegraphindia.com









