A large number of acupuncturists in Maharashtra are facing an uncertain future as they have failed to obtain licenses to practice acupuncture within the stipulated time.
New rules introduced by the state government have made it mandatory to obtain a license to practice acupuncture in Maharashtra. Under the new rules, all acupuncturists will be required to take a qualifying exam to obtain permanent registration.
However, many acupuncturists who were unable to obtain the required certification on time complained that the certification exam was held on October 10, 2021, amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“During the pandemic, I was working with COVID-19 patients and I didn’t have much time to think about other things, so I couldn’t get tested because of that. That was my fault. But the council should at least give us a second chance as our entire career is at stake,” said a Mumbai-based acupuncturist who did not wish to be named. Told.
Several other therapists claimed that they would lose their jobs because the state would not give them another chance to clear the exam.
“There are people who have been practicing this medical technique for decades. I pray that experienced practitioners will be given a second chance as their livelihoods are at stake,” he said of Mumbai. said the acupuncturist based there.
The council said it had given acupuncturists enough time to register.
Dr. Rumi F. Beramji, administrator of the Maharashtra Acupuncture Council, said, “Notifying all acupuncturists through all means has given a fair chance to all acupuncturists, but until now no council This decision was made because many people did not listen to it despite the one-and-a-half year extension.
Of the 8,000 applicants, nearly 5,000 passed the test and were eligible to enroll. The remaining applicants and the remaining 3,000 who did not apply will not be able to practice without registration.
“The council has requested the government to allow us to conduct another test, but we have not heard anything. We obviously cannot violate the law,” said the Maharashtra Acupuncture Council. said Registrar Narayan Navale.
The Maharashtra Acupuncture Act, 2015 made it mandatory for all therapists to register with the Maharashtra Acupuncture Council and pass a basic proficiency test.
Its purpose was to standardize the practice of acupuncture and ensure that all acupuncturists have a basic knowledge of acupuncture and human anatomy.
An unregistered therapist can be punished with imprisonment up to six months or a fine up to Rs 1,000, or both.
