NEW DELHI: In a move likely to intensify the debate over the status of traditional medicine practitioners, the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM) has warned that calling duly registered AYUSH doctors “quacks” or “bogus doctors” has no legal basis and could violate their legal and constitutional rights.The commission said it had come to its notice that qualified practitioners holding recognised degrees in Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and Sowa-Rigpa were being subjected to harassment, defamation and false characterisation through public notices, print and electronic media, social media platforms and other public forums.The NCISM said practitioners registered with the appropriate State Medical Councils for Indian Medicine and recognised under the Indian Medicine Central Council Act, 1970, and the NCISM Act, 2020, are legally recognised medical practitioners. It said the NCISM Act provides the statutory framework for regulating education, ethics and professional practice in Indian systems of medicine and confers legal rights and responsibilities on registered practitioners.”There is no legal basis for describing such registered practitioners as ‘quacks’ or ‘bogus doctors’,” the commission said, adding that any individual, institution, media organisation or authority publicly using such terms may be acting contrary to the legal recognition granted under the NCISM Act, 2020, and may be infringing upon the practitioners’ professional and constitutional rights.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesReiterating its position, the commission said all duly qualified and registered practitioners of the Indian System of Medicine are legally recognised healthcare professionals and are entitled to the rights, protections and professional respect accorded to them under the law.The NCISM’s stand is also consistent with the Centre’s responses in Parliament, where the Ministry of AYUSH has repeatedly distinguished between unrecognised persons posing as AYUSH practitioners, who are liable for penal action under the law, and duly qualified and registered practitioners recognised under the NCISM Act.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorAnuja JaiswalAnuja Jaiswal is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Times of India, with an impressive 18-year career in narrative journalism. She specializes in health and heritage reporting, expertly simplifying complex health information to make it engaging and understandable for readers. Her deep dives into heritage topics are well-researched, resulting in captivating narratives that resonate with her audience. Over the years, she has worked in Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh and West UP, gaining diverse on-ground experience that shapes her storytelling.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos‘Cut Shudra’s Tongue If…’: Kharge Quotes ‘Translated Manusmriti’ In RS; Sudhanshu, Nadda Hit BackAssam Flood Death Toll Rises To 78 As Over Three Lakh Remain Affected Despite Receding WatersHockey India’s Saffron Jersey Sparks Massive Row As Olympians, Critics Question Iconic Blue IdentitySonam Wangchuk Praises Vande Bharat Train; Reminds Govt To Honour Vow Made To Protesting Students₹28.5 Cr Cash Seized In Birbhum: Former Govt Bus Driver Arrested | Tulu Mondal Link Under ProbeMamata Banerjee Urges EC To End TMC Symbol Dispute As Rival Faction Misses Repeated DeadlinesSC Questions Blanket Ban On Pellet Guns, Orders Preservation Of RAF Ammunition LogOver 1 Lakh Schools Across India Have Only One Teacher; Andhra Pradesh Records Highest NumberStudent Allegedly Hacks IIT Kanpur- IIT Madras Websites After Admission RejectionAbhijeet Dipke Says PM Modi Should “Become An Influencer”, Warns Of Fresh Student Protest123PhotostoriesSobhita Dhulipala to Aditi Rao Hydari: Celebrity Showstoppers who lit up India Couture Week 202610 baby names inspired by Celtic legendsOptical illusion personality test: What you see first reveals your hidden superpowers and weaknesses5 things difficult people teach you that kind people never canNTR to Prabhas, Ranbir Kapoor: 10 actors who portrayed Lord Ram on the silver screenWhen every negative pregnancy test hurts a little more: Doctors explain why fertility burnout is becoming the hidden mental health crisis nobody talks aboutWhy every designer suddenly had a ‘story’ and not just a collection at the India Couture Week 2026From ‘Insidious: Out Of The Further’ to ‘Mutiny’: Hollywood releases of August 20265 plants people grow for luck, that have better practical benefits that many probably haven’t heard aboutMyths vs facts: Is shaving facial hair bad for women?123Hot PicksAugust School HolidaysNHL Trade RumorsKerala Engineering rank listBhagat SinghByelection todayFranz KafkaFed meetingKanwar Yatra securityNew anti-paper leak billTop TrendingTamil Nadu Schools New MealMitch JonesNanakdin Bhurji DeathSonam RaghuvanshiNagpur MurderGujarat MurderHardoi Double SuicideMohammad Ali Jauhar University demolitionWeather TomorrowStock Market Up
NEW DELHI: In a move likely to intensify the debate over the status of traditional medicine practitioners, the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM) has warned that calling duly registered AYUSH doctors “quacks” or “bogus doctors” has no legal basis and could violate their legal and constitutional rights.The commission said it had come to its notice that qualified practitioners holding recognised degrees in Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and Sowa-Rigpa were being subjected to harassment, defamation and false characterisation through public notices, print and electronic media, social media platforms and other public forums.The NCISM said practitioners registered with the appropriate State Medical Councils for Indian Medicine and recognised under the Indian Medicine Central Council Act, 1970, and the NCISM Act, 2020, are legally recognised medical practitioners. It said the NCISM Act provides the statutory framework for regulating education, ethics and professional practice in Indian systems of medicine and confers legal rights and responsibilities on registered practitioners.“There is no legal basis for describing such registered practitioners as ‘quacks’ or ‘bogus doctors’,” the commission said, adding that any individual, institution, media organisation or authority publicly using such terms may be acting contrary to the legal recognition granted under the NCISM Act, 2020, and may be infringing upon the practitioners’ professional and constitutional rights.
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Reiterating its position, the commission said all duly qualified and registered practitioners of the Indian System of Medicine are legally recognised healthcare professionals and are entitled to the rights, protections and professional respect accorded to them under the law.The NCISM’s stand is also consistent with the Centre’s responses in Parliament, where the Ministry of AYUSH has repeatedly distinguished between unrecognised persons posing as AYUSH practitioners, who are liable for penal action under the law, and duly qualified and registered practitioners recognised under the NCISM Act.
