The CMS & ED course is approved and recognized by the Supreme Court of India to provide training in primary healthcare with essential allopathic medicines, particularly for rural areas. While it holds validity from the Supreme Court, it does not have recognition from the Medical Council of India. The course aims to train individuals to provide basic medical services and prescribe a limited list of WHO-endorsed medications for common ailments.Key aspects of the 2003 Supreme Court Order and subsequent context:
Right to Practice: The 2003 order recognized that CMS ED certificate holders, as rural medical practitioners (RMPs), could practice primary health care in rural areas. 
Prescribing Limited Medicines: This judgment specifically permitted them to prescribe a specific list of 42 allopathic drugs deemed essential for primary healthcare. 
Issuing Certificates: The order also granted them the right to issue medical certificates. 
Focus on Rural Areas: The order's context was to serve the rural population, where access to formal medical services was limited. 
Not Full Recognition: Later judicial pronouncements have clarified that this order does not grant full recognition to CMS ED holders as registered medical practitioners under the laws governing modern or traditional Indian medicine. The practice of modern medicine requires specific qualifications and registration with medical councils. 
Distinction from Other Systems: The judgment must be understood within its specific context; it does not establish CMS ED as an equivalent to the formal MBBS or BAMS degrees. 
In summary: The 2003 Supreme Court decision for CMS ED holders was an important acknowledgment of their role in providing primary healthcare in rural India, allowing them to prescribe essential life-saving drugs. However, it is crucial to understand that this was a specific directive for a particular group and did not grant them the same rights and recognition as formally qualified doctors under India's established medical regulations.