West Bengal restores DMS, DHMS doctors' rights to issue birth and death certificates
Synopsis
West Bengal's Health Department has reversed a July 2026 order that stripped DMS and DHMS doctors of their right to issue birth and death certificates — a power first granted in 1964. With 34,000 practitioners affected and rural communities left scrambling, the climbdown came only after mass protests at Kolkata's Swasthya Bhaban, making this the second time in decades the state had to restore what it had revoked.
Key Takeaways
West Bengal's Health Department has restored the authority of DMS and DHMS practitioners to issue birth and death certificates, issuing a formal notification.
The move reverses a 9 July 2026 gazette notification that had revoked these powers, triggering statewide protests.
Hundreds of doctors demonstrated outside Swasthya Bhaban , the state health department headquarters in Salt Lake, Kolkata , on Wednesday.
Approximately 34,000 DMS and DHMS doctors practise in West Bengal, with many serving remote communities as primary healthcare providers.
DMS doctors were first granted this authority in 1964 ; it was previously restored in 1999 after a prolonged agitation — making this the second reinstatement in the community's history.
West Bengal's Health Department has restored the authority of Diploma in Medicine and Surgery (DMS) and Diploma in Homeopathic Medicine and Surgery (DHMS) practitioners to issue birth and death certificates, following widespread protests by thousands of doctors from both medical streams across the state. A formal notification to this effect has already been issued by the state health department.
What Triggered the Protests
The immediate trigger was a gazette notification issued by the West Bengal state health department on 9 July 2026, which revoked the power of DMS and DHMS practitioners to issue birth and death certificates. The move triggered strong protests across the state, with hundreds of doctors from various associations staging demonstrations in front of Swasthya Bhaban — the state health department headquarters in Salt Lake, on the northern outskirts of Kolkata — on Wednesday.
The protesting doctors also submitted a memorandum outlining their demands to senior officials of the state health department. They termed the July notification 'unfair, unreasonable and undemocratic', arguing that DMS and DHMS practitioners had been included in the Second Schedule after years of sustained agitation and were legally entitled to issue such certificates.
A Right Granted, Withdrawn, and Restored — Repeatedly
The history of this entitlement stretches back over six decades. According to sources, DMS doctors were first granted the authority to issue birth and death certificates in 1964. The right was subsequently withdrawn following the introduction of the DHMS course, but was restored in 1999 after a prolonged movement by practitioners of both streams. The July 2026 revocation represented the second such withdrawal in decades, making the current reinstatement particularly significant for the community.
Why This Matters for Rural Healthcare
The stakes extend well beyond professional credibility. There are reportedly 34,000 DMS and DHMS doctors currently practising in West Bengal. In remote and underserved areas of the state, these practitioners are often the primary — and sometimes only — healthcare providers available to residents.
'Currently there are 34,000 DMS and DHMS doctors in West Bengal. The July notification from the state health department pushed their future into grave uncertainty. People started doubting our professional credibility. In fact, residents of remote areas, where DMS and DHMS practitioners play a crucial role in healthcare delivery, faced difficulties following the withdrawal of these rights. Now, as the state government has restored these rights, this development has come as a victory for us,' said an office bearer of the Medical Service Centre, the association leading the movement.
What Happens Next
With the state health department's notification now in place, DMS and DHMS practitioners can resume issuing birth and death certificates immediately. The reinstatement is being seen as a significant win for a practitioner community that has historically had to fight repeatedly for recognition of its legal entitlements. Whether the state government will introduce safeguards to prevent future reversals of this right remains to be seen.
Point of View
Not a policy rethink. The fact that this right has now been granted, withdrawn, and restored twice in six decades suggests the state lacks a settled legal framework for diploma-level practitioners, leaving 34,000 doctors and the rural populations they serve perpetually vulnerable to administrative whims. The reinstatement is a win, but without a durable legislative fix rather than notification-by-notification reversals, the next protest cycle is already baked in.
NationPress
8 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What rights have been restored to DMS and DHMS doctors in West Bengal?
West Bengal's Health Department has restored the authority of DMS and DHMS practitioners to issue birth and death certificates, reversing a 9 July 2026 gazette notification that had revoked these powers. A formal notification to this effect has already been issued by the state health department.
Why did West Bengal revoke these rights in July 2026?
The source does not specify the government's stated rationale for the July 2026 revocation. Protesting doctors described the notification as 'unfair, unreasonable and undemocratic', arguing it contradicted their legal inclusion in the Second Schedule after years of agitation.
How many DMS and DHMS doctors are affected in West Bengal?
Approximately 34,000 DMS and DHMS doctors practise in West Bengal. Many work in remote areas where they are often the primary healthcare providers, meaning the revocation also affected residents in those communities who needed certificates issued.
What is the history of DMS doctors' right to issue birth and death certificates?
DMS doctors were first granted this authority in 1964. The right was withdrawn after the DHMS course was introduced, then restored in 1999 following a prolonged movement. The July 2026 gazette notification revoked it again before the latest reinstatement, making this the second restoration in the community's history.
What did the protesting doctors do to press their demands?
Hundreds of DMS and DHMS doctors from various associations staged protests outside Swasthya Bhaban — the state health department headquarters in Salt Lake, Kolkata — on Wednesday. They also submitted a formal memorandum to state health department officials outlining their demands.
