Commission Warns Against Calling Ayurveda, Unani Doctors 'Quacks'; Legal Action May Follow

The National Commission for Indian System of Medicine ( NCISM ) has issued a circular reaffirming the legal status of duly qualified and registered practitioners of the Indian Systems of Medicine. In the circular dated July 29, 2026, the commission clarified that practitioners holding recognised qualifications and registered with the appropriate State Councils cannot be described as 'quacks' or 'bogus doctors'. The move comes amid concerns over the increasing instances of registered AYUSH practitioners being subjected to harassment, defamation and false characterisation despite enjoying legal recognition under the Indian Medicine Central Council Act, 1970 and the NCISM Act, 2020. Dr. Sushrut Kanaujia, the president of the Board of Ethics and Registration of the NCISM had issued the circular