In a unanimous decision on Wednesday, the Gujarat state assembly passed the Gujarat Medical Practitioners (Amendment) Bill. This bill primarily aims to replace the term ‘Board’ with ‘Council’ in the existing legislation governing ayurvedic and unani medical systems in the state.
Key Purpose of the Amendment
Health Minister Rushikesh Patel, while presenting the bill, emphasized that the amendment seeks to regulate and maintain the registration of ayurvedic and unani practitioners across Gujarat. By introducing this change, the government intends to align state laws with national medical education standards.
Major Change: From ‘Board’ to ‘Council’
Once the amendment takes effect, the ‘Gujarat Board of Ayurvedic and Unani Systems of Medicine’ will officially become the ‘Gujarat Council of Ayurvedic and Unani Systems of Medicine’. This renaming reflects a broader effort to standardize nomenclature across states in line with national directives.
National Alignment and Legal Requirement
As per The Times of India, this change follows the implementation of the National Commission for Indian Systems of Medicine Act, 2020 (NCISM Act 2020) by the central government. Under this Act, only four specific boards are permitted to use the term ‘Board’—making it necessary for states to update their terminology accordingly.