Forms VIII explained: this guide covers what it means, who it applies to, the step-by-step process, documents required, fees, due dates and penalties in India — so you can stay compliant with confidence and avoid costly mistakes.
Forms VIII to X are the medical forms. Form VIII is the health examination form for dock work and building or construction employees who have completed forty years of age. Form IX is the mine employees' report of medical examination, with fitness standards. Form X is the certificate that an Appellate Medical Board issues after re-examining a mine worker declared unfit.
Form VIII (rule 5(2)): health examination; Part A filled by the employee, Part B by the qualified medical practitioner; not for mine employees. Form IX (rule 109 and others): mine employees only, in triplicate, with the medical standards for initial and periodical examination. Form X (rule 119(2)): re-examination certificate by the Appellate Medical Board, in triplicate.
Where these forms come from
Under rule 2(1)(b) the forms are those in Annexure VII to the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (Central) Rules, 2026. Our rule 5 article explains the annual examination, and our rules 109-110 article and rules 117-119 article cover the mine process. The Central Rules apply where the Central Government is the appropriate Government. Where the State Government is the appropriate Government, the State's own OSH rules and forms apply. Employers who need a medical examination programme set up can use our labour law compliance service.
Form VIII: health examination (except mine employees)
Rule 5(1) requires every employer of dock work, building or other construction work to arrange a medical examination, at no cost to the employee, for an employee who has completed forty years of age. Rule 5(2) says a qualified medical practitioner conducts it and a certificate in Form VIII is provided to both employer and employee. The employer may use the Employees' State Insurance Corporation's facility. For mines, rule 5 sends the reader to rule 109 for additional tests and conditions.
Part A (items 1 to 11), filled by the employee:
- name; 2. gender; 3. age with date of birth; 4. company; 5. designation, with 5(a) UAN and 5(b) Aadhaar number (after obtaining consent); 6. in-charge employer or executive contacts; 7. complete personal or plant address; 8. mobile or phone; 9. email; 10. current medical illness, treatment and medication, if any; 11. nature of job, with more details if hazardous (physical, chemical, biological, ergonomic and the like). It is signed by the employee and carries a photograph box.
Part B (items 12 to 14), by the medical practitioner:
- Item 12 lists the tests, with reports attached as an annexure and the medical officer's interpretation or opinion indicated only if abnormal: height, weight, chest measurement on inspiration and expiration, waist circumference, body mass index, vision (visual acuity of both eyes and colour vision), blood pressure, complete blood count, fasting and post-prandial blood sugar, SpO2, blood urea, serum creatinine, serum bilirubin (total and direct), SGOT, SGPT, lipid profile, serum TSH, chest X-ray (PA view), ECG, and others.
- Item 13: final diagnosis, opinion or treatment advised by the qualified medical practitioner.
- Item 14: whether the person has seizure-related disorders or difficulty in working at height; if yes, the works to be avoided (Yes, No or Not applicable).
It ends with the practitioner's signature and seal.
The form is a health record, not a fitness certificate, and it does not contain a "fit or unfit" box. The text does not say what an employer must do on an abnormal finding, other than item 14's list of works to be avoided. Treat it as a medical record with care for privacy; the employee's Aadhaar is to be taken only after consent.
Form IX: report of medical examination (mine employees only)
Form IX is headed "See rule 109, rule 113(1), rule 119(1) and rule 142", "To be issued in triplicate". Rule 109(1)(iii) says the medical examination is conducted as per Form IX, and rule 113(1) says the examining authority examines according to the standards laid down in it. Rule 113(2) says a copy of the certificate in Form IX is issued to the person electronically or by speed post and a copy sent to the mine employer electronically; the examining authority keeps the third copy.
The certificate. A certificate number; the person, job, mine and employee number examined for an initial or periodical examination; apparent age; and the finding, which is one of:
| Finding | Meaning as printed |
|---|---|
| (a) | Medically fit for any employment in mines |
| (b) | Suffering from a stated condition and medically unfit for (i) any employment in a mine, (ii) any employment below ground, or (iii) any employment or work to be specified |
| (c) | Suffering from a stated condition and should have it cured or controlled and be re-examined within a stated number of months, appearing with specified test results and a specialist's opinion; and may or may not be permitted to carry on duties during that period |
A passport-size photograph is affixed and the examining authority signs with name, date and seal.
The report annexure records, for every examination (initial, periodical, re-examination or after cure), 20 headings: identification mark and left thumb impression; general development, height and weight; eyes; ears with audiometry; respiratory system with spirometry; circulatory system with 12-lead ECG and echocardiography; abdomen with ultrasonography; nervous system, including special tests for manganese exposure; locomotory system, skin, hydrocele, hernia, teeth and speech; pathological investigations (blood counts, sugar, HbA1c, lipids, urea and creatinine, urine, stool, sputum for AFB for food-handling employees, haemoglobin electrophoresis, liver tests, and delta aminolevulinic acid in urine for persons exposed to lead); chest radiograph with ILO classification of pneumoconiotic opacities; and other tests or specialist opinions.
The medical standards of fitness. Form IX carries two sets of standards:
| Item | Initial examination | Periodical examination |
|---|---|---|
| Distant vision | Underground: better eye 6/6, worse eye 6/9. Surface or opencast: better 6/9, worse 6/12 | Better eye 6/9, worse eye 6/12 |
| Blood pressure | Not more than 130/80 mm Hg | Not more than 140/90 mm Hg |
| HbA1c | Not more than 6.0; only well controlled diabetes without complications may be considered for appointment | Fasting and post-prandial sugar tested; diabetes shall be under control and target organs not affected |
| Fits or epilepsy | A history means not declared fit for mine employment | Persons with such a history not to be declared fit |
| Sickle cell | Should not be sickle cell disease or trait; haemoglobin electrophoresis done | Not listed in the periodical list |
| One-eyed person | Disqualification | Only one normally functioning eye: not below ground; on surface, the other eye 6/9 |
| Chest radiograph | Full-sized PA film classified under the ILO system | Same, classified by radiologist or trained medical officer |
The initial standard also covers speech, teeth, skin, hearing and audiometry, squint, nystagmus, spirometry, cardiac assessment including echocardiography, ultrasonography of the abdomen, hernia, hydrocele and urine. The periodical standard adds items such as special attention to manganese exposure, and sputum for AFB for persons in food handling and the handling of stemming material.
Drafting points. The two sets of standards are numbered separately. The initial standards give the radiograph size as 11 by 14 inches and the periodical as 14 by 11 inches, which are the same sheet. The Form refers to "IME" (initial medical examination) and "PME" (periodical medical examination) in some places without defining them; read IME as initial and PME as periodical.
Form X: re-examination by the Appellate Medical Board
Form X (See rule 119(2)) is a "Certificate medical re-examination by Appellate Medical Board", to be issued in triplicate. Under rule 119(2) it is issued to the manager of the mine and the appellant, and a copy is retained by the convener. The board certifies that it examined the person, employed in a stated mine, who was declared unfit for (1) any employment in a mine, (2) any employment below ground, or (3) any employment in specified work. After re-examination it records one of three outcomes: (1) fit for any employment in a mine; (2) suffering from a condition and unfit for any employment in a mine, below ground, or in specified work; or (3) a condition to be cured or controlled with re-examination within a stated number of months, with permission or no permission to carry on duties meanwhile. It is signed by the members of the Appellate Medical Board with date, the convener listed first, and the photograph is attested by the manager, agent or owner. An annexure repeats the report headings of Form IX, with some tests marked "if required".
Practical examples
Example 1. A construction employer arranges examinations at no cost to workers aged forty and above. Each is examined by a qualified practitioner, who completes Part B of Form VIII, and copies go to employer and employee.
Example 2. A person joining a mine undergoes an initial examination under Form IX. The examining authority records fit for any employment, and gives a copy of the certificate electronically or by speed post.
Example 3. A mine worker is declared unfit for underground work. On appeal, the Appellate Medical Board re-examines and issues Form X, finding the worker fit for surface work.
Compliance checklist
- Identify dock and construction employees who have completed forty years and schedule Form VIII examinations.
- Use Form IX standards for mine initial and periodical examinations and keep the third copy and certificates as the rules require.
- Take Aadhaar numbers only after consent.
- Keep Form X with the mine record after any appeal.
Need help with medical examination compliance?
A medical programme needs the right forms, the right examiners and clean records. Our team can build a schedule and record system matched to the form that applies to your workforce. Start with our labour law compliance service.
Key takeaways
- Form VIII is the health examination form for dock and construction employees who have completed forty years; it excludes mine employees.
- Form IX is for mine employees only, issued in triplicate, with standards for initial and periodical examination.
- Form X is the Appellate Medical Board's re-examination certificate.
- Form IX standards include vision, blood pressure, HbA1c, chest radiograph and spirometry limits as printed.
- Aadhaar is recorded only after consent.
Read next
- Rule 5: annual health examination of employees
- Rules 109-110: initial and periodical medical examination in mines
- Rules 117-119: appeal for re-examination and appellate medical board
- Forms I to VII: registration and notice of operation forms
Disclaimer: Based on the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 (as enacted) and, where noted, the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (Central) Rules, 2026 (G.S.R. 345(E), 8 May 2026), as on 30 September 2026. The Code is in force from 21 November 2025; some provisions may be notified later, and State Governments make their own rules for establishments where the State is the appropriate Government. Verify the current position before acting.