Chapter I PRELIMINARY

1. (1) This Act may be called the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine Act, 2020.
2. (2) It extends to the whole of India.
3. (3) It shall come into force on such date1 as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint: Provided that different dates may be appointed for different provisions of this Act and any reference in any such provision to the commencement of this Act shall be construed as a reference to the coming into force of that provision.

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,--

1. (a) "Autonomous Board" means any of the Autonomous Boards constituted under section 18;
2. (b) "Board of Ayurveda" means the Board constituted under section 18;
3. (c) "Board of Ethics and Registration for Indian System of Medicine" means the Board constituted under section 18;
4. (d) "Board of Unani, Siddha and Sowa-Rigpa" means the Board constituted under section 18;
5. (e) "Chairperson" means the Chairperson of the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine appointed under section 5;
6. (f) "Commission" means the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine constituted under section 3;
7. (g) "Council" means the Advisory Council for Indian System of Medicine constituted under section 11;
8. (h) "Indian System of Medicine" means the Ashtang Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and Sowa-Rigpa Systems of Medicine supplemented by such modern advances, scientific and technological development as the Commission may, in consultation with the Central Government, declare by notification from time to time;
   • (i) "licence" means a licence to practice any of the Indian System of Medicine granted under sub-section (1) of section 33;
9. (j) "Medical Assessment and Rating Board for Indian System of Medicine" means the Board constituted under section 18;
10. (k) "medical institution" means any institution within or outside India which, grants degrees, diplomas or licences in Indian System of Medicine and includes affiliated colleges and deemed to be Universities;
11. (l) "Member" means a Member of the Commission referred to in section 4 and includes the Chairperson thereof;
12. (m) "National Register" means a National Medical Register for Indian System of Medicine maintained by the Board of Ethics and Registration for Indian System of Medicine under section 32;
13. (n) "notification" means a notification published in the Official Gazette and the expression "notify" shall be construed accordingly;
14. (o) "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this Act;
15. (p) "President" means the President of an Autonomous Board appointed under section 20;
16. (q) "regulations" means the regulations made by the Commission under this Act;
17. (r) "State Medical Council" means a State Medical Council of Indian System of Medicine constituted under any law for the time being in force in any State or Union territory for regulating the practice and registration of practitioners of Indian System of Medicine in that State or Union territory;
18. (s) "State Register" means a State Register for Indian System of Medicine maintained under any law for the time being in force in any State or Union territory for registration of practitioners of Indian System of Medicine;
19. (t) "University" shall have the same meaning as assigned to it in clause (f) of section 2 of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956 (3 of 1956) and includes a health university.