Recognition of Medical Practitioners under Chapter IV of the Code on Social Security, 2020

In a significant exercise of delegated legislative authority, the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India, issued Notification S.O. 2352(E) on the 8th of May 2026. This notification formally recognises specific classes of medical practitioners for the purposes of Chapter IV of the Code on Social Security, 2020, and for all provisions in the Code relating thereto.

Published in the Extraordinary Gazette of India, this administrative measure assumes critical importance in ensuring legal certainty and operational continuity within India’s evolving social security architecture.

Legal Basis and Enabling Provision

The notification derives its authority from the proviso to clause (44) of Section 2 of the Code on Social Security, 2020 (Act 36 of 2020). This provision empowers the Central Government to notify persons possessing recognised medical qualifications and registered under the relevant statutory framework as medical practitioners for the purposes of the Code.

By invoking this enabling provision, the Joint Secretary to the Government of India has brought within the fold of the social security regime three distinct categories of healthcare professionals. This harmonises the consolidated labour code with the country’s reformed medical regulatory structure.

Recognised Classes of Medical Practitioners

Pursuant to the notification, the following classes of practitioners stand recognised. Each category is subject to the twin requirements of holding a recognised medical qualification and maintaining valid registration with the respective statutory body.

Allopathic Practitioners

Persons holding a recognised medical qualification who are registered with the National Medical Commission or any State Medical Council constituted under the National Medical Commission Act, 2019 (Act 30 of 2019), being practitioners of modern allopathic medicine.

Indian System of Medicine Practitioners

Practitioners of the Indian System of Medicine who possess recognised qualifications and are registered with the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine, an Autonomous Board thereunder, or a State Medical Council of Indian System of Medicine, as established under the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine Act, 2020 (Act 14 of 2020).

Homoeopathic Practitioners

Homoeopathic practitioners possessing recognised qualifications and registered with the National Commission for Homoeopathy, its Autonomous Board, or a State Medical Council of Homoeopathy under the National Commission for Homoeopathy Act, 2020 (Act 15 of 2020).

Why This Notification Is Necessary

The necessity of this notification becomes evident when viewed against the backdrop of the comprehensive overhaul of medical regulation in India undertaken between 2019 and 2020. The following key changes took place:

• The erstwhile Medical Council of India was superseded by the National Medical Commission.
• The Central Council of Indian Medicine was replaced by the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine.
• The Central Council of Homoeopathy was replaced by the National Commission for Homoeopathy.

Consequently, the previous references to medical practitioners under the old social security statutes, such as the Employees’ State Insurance Act, 1948, became legally anachronistic. The present notification bridges this regulatory gap by explicitly acknowledging registrations under the new commission-based regime.

This prevents any vacuum in the authentication of medical certificates required for key entitlements under Chapter IV, including:

• Sickness benefits
• Maternity benefits
• Disablement benefits
• Other entitlements under Chapter IV

Conclusion

Notification S.O. 2352(E) represents a timely and necessary administrative intervention that aligns India’s social security framework with its contemporaneous medical regulatory landscape.

By extending recognition to allopathic, Indian System of Medicine, and homoeopathic practitioners alike, the notification ensures inclusivity, continuity, and legal clarity in the certification processes underpinning workers’ social security entitlements.

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