The Tamil Nadu Medical Council (TNMC) has warned the medical practitioners registered with TNMC for displaying or adding degree/diploma not recognized by the Medical Council of India (MCI).

According to TNMC, the doctors displaying degrees or diploma not recognized by the MCI violate the provisions of the Indian Medical Degrees Act 1940, and are liable for punishment with a fine or disciplinary action from TNMC.

K. R. Balasubramaniam, president of the TNMC, said as per the Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations, 2002, no practitioner registered with TNMC should display unrecognized medical degrees/diplomas/certificates along with MBBS and other degrees recognized by the TNMC or MCI.

The practitioner should not use or display or write anything other than his/her name, qualifications obtained from a university, a statutory body, titles and name of his/her specialty, and registration number including the name of the State Medical Council under which he or she is registered.

Further, as per Section 6-A of the Indian Medical Degrees Act 1940, practitioners were not entitled to add 'any title/description/letters of abbreviation', which implied that he or she held a degree/diploma/license or certificate as his/her qualification to practice any system of medicine, unless it was granted or issued by the State Medical Council or by a university recognized by the MCI, noted Balasubramaniam.