Maharashtra puts CCMP bridge course on hold following doctors’ protests; Bombay HC case continues

The Maharashtra government has put the Certificate Course in Modern Pharmacology (CCMP) on hold in the midst of strong opposition from the medical fraternity, with the matter currently pending before the Bombay High Court.

The CCMP is a bridge course that would allow registered homoeopathy medical practitioners to get trained in modern medicine.

In a letter dated August 18, 2026, addressed to the Maharashtra Medical Council, the Maharashtra Medical Education and Drugs Department placed the proposed CCMP bridge course on hold.

The notification states that the state government informed the Maharashtra Medical Council that certificates under the programme would be issued only after the procedure is finalised or the ongoing legal proceedings are concluded.

Doctors’ protests put CCMP under scrutiny

The proposed bridge course has faced sustained opposition from doctors and medical organisations, who have raised concerns over allowing homeopathy practitioners to practise modern medicine after completing a short-term programme.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA), Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) and doctors across the country have voiced their objections through protests, strikes and other forms of mobilisation.

The issue also triggered a wider debate over patient safety, medical qualifications, and the scope of practice of different systems of medicine. Doctors have argued that modern medicine requires comprehensive undergraduate and postgraduate training and that a bridge course cannot be treated as an equivalent qualification to a full Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree.

Sharing the order in a post on X, Dhruv Chauhan, national spokesperson for the Indian Medical Association, Junior Doctors' Network (JDN), said, “We won’t let this bridge course implemented ever. Will unite doctors and ensure justice peacefully for our rights.”

The Maharashtra government’s latest notice effectively pauses the immediate implementation of the CCMP and issuance of related certificates until the legal battle clears. This development has marked a significant interim victory for the doctors opposing this move.

What led to protests against CCMP

The CCMP allowed doctors with a five-and-a-half-year (Bachelor of Homeopathic Medicine and Surgery) BHMS degree to undertake an additional one-year programme offering limited training in prescribing certain allopathic medicines. According to Madhuri Misal, Maharashtra minister of state for medical education, nearly 8,000 doctors have completed the course, which was being offered by 33 institutions.

The provision allowing homeopathic doctors to prescribe certain allopathic medicines faced opposition from sections of the medical community, leading to protests. The matter also reached the Bombay High Court, where the provision was challenged.

However, the final position will depend on the verdict of the Bombay High Court and subsequent directions from the Maharashtra government. The case therefore remains unresolved, with the CCMP bridge course awaiting further judicial review and official clarity.