India is known for its multicultural diversity from centuries ago and the most prominent features are the diverse or indigenous treatment methods. Indian system of medical treatment are basically rooted on traditional systems including natural herbs, medicinal plants and some of them are indeed co related with customs and rituals. Many indigenous treatments differs from one another in the mode of treatment yet there are very rare valuable treatment modes that even modern medical science systems are still unaware of. One of the remarkable initiative from the Indian Government is the enactment of The National Commission for Indian system of Medicine for the preservation and upliftment of the ignored Indian system of medicines. The act came in to force in 20th September 2020 with 59 sections and eight chapters.
The prime Objective of the act is to provide medical system with high ethical and professional values in the field of research and teaching and thereby imparting high health care goals that are accessible to citizens anywhere in the country. The act extends to whole of India and by virtue of chapter two the Central Government is vested with the power to constitute the National Commission conferring the powers stated in the act. The National Commission is a Body corporate and the Head Office is located in New Delhi. The composition of the National commission is stated in section 4 of the act and section 6 states the terms and conditions of the Office and its members. Meetings and functions of the Commission is stated in section 9 and 10. In section 10 apart from the functions of the commission including providing guidelines and policies it is also conferred with Appellate jurisdiction in determining grievances.
Chapter 3 deals with the Advisory council and through it only States and union Territories can put forward new schemes, views and concerns as a primary platform before the Commission.
Chapter four enumerates the National examinations to be conducted in each discipline of Indian medical system and in its concerned medical institutions that comes under the purview of the act. The National Eligibility cum entrance test for undergraduates and National exit test for the final year under graduate medical examination for granting the license as medical practitioner is stated in section 14 and section 15 of the Act.
Chapter 5 states the autonomous Boards of Unani, Ayurveda, Siddha, The Medical Assessment and Rating Board for Indian System of Medicine and The Board of Ethics and Registration for Indian Medicine system are under the supervision of the Commission with regard to their powers and functions. Section 26 of the act put forth the powers and functions of the Autonomous boards subject to the provisions of the Act.
Chapter 6 and chapter seven of the Act deals with the Recognition of qualifications and grants, audit and accounts respectively. Chapter 8 deals with the Miscellaneous Provisions.
The Act is indeed a wake-up call initiative from the part of Government to give deserving importance to the traditional old systems of medical practices in India.
