NMC proposes unique ID for doctors to practise anywhere in India

The National Medical Commission (NMC) has proposed a nationwide registration system that would give every registered medical practitioner a centrally generated Unique Identification (UID) number, allowing doctors to practise anywhere in India without obtaining a fresh registration or licence in another state.

The proposal is contained in the draft Registration of Medical Practitioners and Licence to Practice Medicine (Amendment) Regulations, 2026, notified by the NMC on 11 August. The commission has invited objections and suggestions from stakeholders before the amendments are finalised.

Under the proposed system, doctors and foreign medical graduates would first be registered with the relevant State Medical Council. The Ethics and Medical Registration Board (EMRB) of the NMC would then generate a UID and register the practitioner in the National Medical Register (NMR).

The UID would effectively serve as a national registration number, making the doctor eligible to practise in any state or Union territory without having to seek a separate registration or licence.

The UID would incorporate the code of the concerned state or Union territory along with the registration number issued by the State Medical Council.

National database to track registration and disciplinary action

The NMR, which would be maintained by the EMRB, is proposed as a central repository of registration and licensing details of medical practitioners across the country.

It would also record disciplinary proceedings and orders issued by State Medical Councils, the EMRB or the NMC, including cases involving suspension, removal and restoration of registration. The register would indicate whether a doctor's licence is active or inactive and record disciplinary action, where applicable.

The proposed system would link the national and state registers, with the EMRB required to ensure that changes made in one are automatically reflected in the other.

The NMC and EMRB would also have the power to issue directions, seek information and records, and monitor State Medical Councils to ensure uniformity, transparency and effective regulation of medical practitioners across the country.

Single registration for practice across India

Doctors would apply for registration and a licence through the EMRB's unified registration portal. The concerned State Medical Council would process the application within 30 days after collecting the prescribed fee.

Once the state council grants registration and the EMRB assigns a UID and records the practitioner in the NMR, the doctor would be entitled to practise anywhere in India without seeking another state registration or licence.

The proposal seeks to replace the existing state-wise registration system with a more integrated national framework, while retaining State Medical Councils as the primary authorities for registration and licensing.

Disciplinary proceedings to be reflected nationally

The draft also proposes a common mechanism for dealing with allegations of professional misconduct, unethical conduct and medical negligence.

The State Medical Council in whose jurisdiction an alleged offence or incident occurred would have the authority to inquire into and decide the matter. It would also implement the decision and record it against the doctor's credentials in the online register.

Where disciplinary action is taken by a State Medical Council other than the one where the doctor is primarily registered, the decision would be recorded in the NMR and automatically reflected in the doctor's primary state register.

The mechanism is intended to ensure that disciplinary action follows a doctor across state boundaries rather than remaining confined to the jurisdiction where the action was initiated.

Licence valid for five years

The proposed regulations retain a five-year validity period for a licence to practise medicine. Doctors who fail to apply for renewal within three months of expiry would have their registration marked inactive in the State Medical Register and would not be permitted to practise.

The inactive status would also automatically be reflected in the NMR.

The draft provides an appeal mechanism for doctors whose applications for registration, licensing or renewal are rejected by a State Medical Council. An applicant may appeal to the EMRB within 30 days of receiving the state council's decision.

The EMRB would have 30 days to decide the appeal. If it allows the appeal, its direction to grant or renew registration and the licence would be binding on the State Medical Council, which would have to comply within 15 days.

Existing doctors to get UID through one-time exercise

Doctors already registered in the Indian Medical Register or State Medical Registers but without a UID under the proposed system would be given a one-time opportunity to update their details through the EMRB portal and obtain one.

No fee would be charged by the EMRB for updating the UID of existing practitioners, according to the draft.

Provisions for foreign medical graduates

The proposed amendments also address the registration of foreign medical graduates. An FMG who has obtained a foreign medical qualification and cleared the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE), or the National Exit Test once it comes into force, would be eligible for registration in the NMR, subject to the applicable regulations.

For foreign nationals pursuing postgraduate or super-speciality courses in India, the NMC has proposed temporary registration for the duration of the course, subject to a maximum period of 24 months. This would be followed by a one-year cooling-off period, with the temporary registration restricted to the medical college, institution or hospital sponsoring the programme.

Public feedback invited

The NMC has invited objections and suggestions on the draft regulations. The commission will consider the proposed amendments after 30 days from the date the gazette notification is made available to the public.

The NMC has also withdrawn an earlier draft amendment to the regulations published in the gazette on 7 April 2026.

If finalised, the proposed framework would significantly reshape India's system of medical registration by moving from a largely state-based model towards a national UID-linked system.

State Medical Councils would continue to handle registration, licensing and disciplinary matters within their jurisdictions, but the NMR would provide a central record of each doctor's registration status and professional history, allowing that record to remain accessible across state boundaries.

With PTI inputs