ESIC revises constitution and functioning of Medical Boards under section 37 of the Code on Social Security, 2020: Fixed Medical Board to meet at least once a month
ESIC has issued revised arrangements, with immediate effect, for the Medical Boards that examine and assess Insured Persons under section 37 of the Code on Social Security, 2020. A Fixed Medical Board is ordinarily to meet at least once every month, a Rotational Peripatetic Medical Board will sit at different ESIC/ESIS Hospitals as required, and the Special Medical Board for occupational disease cases continues at designated centres.
Key facts
- In force
- With immediate effect; circular dated 7 October 2026
- Who it affects
- Insured Persons under the ESI Scheme whose cases go before a Medical Board, ESIC and ESIS Hospitals, ESIC Regional and Sub-Regional Offices
- What it is
- Rule change
- Section
- Labour
- Published
- 7 October 2026
In 30 seconds
- The circular is No. U/40/2025-MED-I dated 7 October 2026, issued with the approval of the Director General, ESIC.
- The Fixed Medical Board is ordinarily to be convened at least once every month — as far as practicable on the first Tuesday, from 09:00 AM to 02:00 PM.
- Each Fixed Medical Board has five members: the Medical Superintendent as Chairman, a convener, specialists from Orthopaedics and Surgery, and one external member, preferably a specialist in Medicine.
- A Rotational Peripatetic Medical Board will be convened at different ESIC/ESIS Hospitals to cover areas without a Fixed Medical Board and cases from distant areas.
- The Special Medical Board for occupational disease cases continues only at designated ESIC Hospitals/Occupational Disease Centres; existing arrangements remain in force.
- Regional and Sub-Regional Offices are to arrange the Boards, intimate Insured Persons, and keep records of cases considered, disposed of and pending.
हिंदी में सार
ESIC ने 7 अक्टूबर 2026 के परिपत्र से सामाजिक सुरक्षा संहिता, 2020 की धारा 37 के तहत Medical Boards के गठन और कामकाज की नई व्यवस्था तुरंत प्रभाव से लागू की है। Fixed Medical Board सामान्यतः हर महीने कम से कम एक बार बैठेगा — जहाँ तक संभव हो, महीने के पहले मंगलवार को सुबह 9 से दोपहर 2 बजे तक। जिन क्षेत्रों में Fixed Board नहीं है, वहाँ ज़रूरत के अनुसार Rotational Peripatetic Medical Board अलग-अलग ESIC/ESIS अस्पतालों में बैठेगा। व्यावसायिक रोग के मामलों का Special Medical Board पहले की तरह केवल निर्धारित केंद्रों पर ही होगा।
What ESIC has issued
The Employees’ State Insurance Corporation has issued a circular dated 7 October 2026 (No. U/40/2025-MED-I) on the revised constitution and functioning of Medical Boards under section 37 of the Code on Social Security, 2020. These Boards examine and assess Insured Persons where such examination is prescribed for determining entitlement to benefits under the Code and its regulations.
The circular says the arrangements have been approved to ensure uniformity in the constitution and functioning of Medical Boards, regular conduct of the Boards and timely disposal of cases of Insured Persons. They come into force with immediate effect.
Three kinds of Board
| Board | Where and how often |
|---|---|
| Fixed Medical Board | At ESIC and ESIS Hospitals; ordinarily at least once every month, as far as practicable on the first Tuesday from 09:00 AM to 02:00 PM, subject to availability of members and administrative convenience |
| Rotational Peripatetic Medical Board | At different ESIC/ESIS Hospitals as required, for areas where a Fixed Medical Board is not available and for cases from outlying and geographically distant areas; frequency and venue depend on pending cases, geographical coverage, accessibility for Insured Persons and other operational requirements |
| Special Medical Board for occupational disease cases | Only at the designated ESIC Hospitals/Occupational Disease Centres notified for the purpose |
Who sits on the Fixed Medical Board
| Role | ESIC Hospital | ESIS Hospital |
|---|---|---|
| Chairman | Medical Superintendent, ESIC Hospital | Medical Superintendent, ESIS Hospital |
| Co-opted Member/Convener | DMS/Senior Officer, preferably of SAG level | DMS/Senior Medical Officer |
| Member | Qualified Doctor/Specialist from the Department of Orthopaedics | Qualified Doctor/Specialist from the Department of Orthopaedics |
| Member | Qualified Doctor/Specialist from the Department of Surgery | Qualified Doctor/Specialist from the Department of Surgery |
| Member | One external member, preferably a Specialist in Medicine, from the nearest Government Hospital/ESIS Hospital | One external member, preferably a Specialist in Medicine, from the nearest Government Hospital/ESIC Hospital |
The concerned Medical Superintendent is to ensure regular conduct of the Board and timely consideration of the cases placed before it.
The Rotational Peripatetic Medical Board
When this Board is convened at a location, the Medical Superintendent of the ESIC/ESIS Hospital there is the Chairman. A Senior Medical Officer (SMO) is the Convener and coordinates with the concerned RO/SRO and the Medical Superintendent for scheduling and conduct. The other members are a specialist each from Orthopaedics and Surgery, and one external member, preferably a Specialist in Medicine, from the nearest Government Hospital/ESIC/ESIS Hospital.
Occupational disease cases
The constitution and functioning of the Special Medical Board remain governed by the relevant Occupational Disease Manual and the Corporation’s instructions. A technical/domain expert may be included where required, in addition to the prescribed members. The existing arrangements on designated Occupational Disease Centres and Special Medical Boards continue unless specifically modified or superseded by separate orders.
Other conditions
- The Chairman may co-opt an additional Specialist from an ESIC/ESIS Hospital, Government Hospital or any other suitable medical institution; the need for it must be recorded in the proceedings.
- The Regional Office/Sub-Regional Office, in consultation with the Medical Superintendent, arranges the Boards — compilation of cases, complete medical records, intimation to Insured Persons, logistics, and admissible conveyance and honorarium to external members — and forwards the Board’s recommendations to the concerned authority in time.
- Proceedings of each Board are to be recorded and maintained. The RO/SRO monitors the Boards and keeps records of cases considered, disposed of and pending, with reasons for pendency.
- Existing provisions on honorarium, TA/DA, conveyance and other admissible expenditure continue to apply. If a prescribed Specialist is not available, alternative arrangements may be made with the approval of the competent authority.
Questions and answers
What do Medical Boards under section 37 do?
According to the circular, Medical Boards constituted under section 37 of the Code on Social Security, 2020 examine and assess Insured Persons in cases where such examination is prescribed for determination of entitlement to benefits under the Code and the regulations made under it.
How often will the Fixed Medical Board meet?
Ordinarily at least once every month. As far as practicable, the meeting is to be scheduled on the first Tuesday of every month from 09:00 AM to 02:00 PM, subject to availability of the required members and administrative convenience.
What about Insured Persons in areas with no Fixed Medical Board?
A Rotational Peripatetic Medical Board will be convened at different ESIC/ESIS Hospitals as required, to extend Medical Board facilities to such areas and to consider cases from outlying and geographically distant areas. Its frequency and venue depend on pending cases, geographical coverage, accessibility for Insured Persons and other operational requirements.
Has anything changed for occupational disease cases?
The circular says the Special Medical Board for occupational disease cases shall continue to be convened only at the designated ESIC Hospitals/Occupational Disease Centres, and that existing arrangements remain in force unless specifically modified or superseded by separate orders.
Who informs the Insured Person about the Board?
The concerned Regional Office/Sub-Regional Office, in consultation with the Medical Superintendent, makes the administrative arrangements, which include intimation to Insured Persons.
Published 7 October 2026. Updated 10 October 2026. This report is for general information and is not professional advice. Read the source document before acting on it.