NMC proposes nationwide doctor registration with Unique ID numbers

The National Medical Commission (NMC) has floated a draft regulation that would allow doctors to practise across India with a single registration and a Unique Identification (UID) number, doing away with the need for separate licences in each State or Union Territory.

The proposal is part of the draft Registration of Medical Practitioners and Licence to Practice Medicine (Amendment) Regulations, 2026, which was notified on August 11, 2026. The draft seeks to amend the existing 2023 regulations that govern the registration and licensing of medical practitioners. The NMC has invited objections and suggestions from stakeholders for 30 days from the date of notification.

Under the proposed system, registration and licensing will be processed through a unified portal managed by the Ethics and Medical Registration Board of the NMC. State Medical Councils will continue to scrutinise applications, grant registration, and issue licences to practise, but the approval will simultaneously be reflected in both the State Medical Register and the National Medical Register (NMR).

The UID number will incorporate the State or Union Territory code along with the practitioner's State Medical Register number, according to the NMC. Once a State Medical Council grants registration and the Ethics and Medical Registration Board allots the UID, the doctor will be eligible to practise in any part of India without seeking fresh registration or a separate licence from another State or Union Territory.

The draft also proposes automatic electronic synchronisation between the national and State registers, so that any change in one register is mirrored in the other. The National Medical Register will serve as a central repository of registration details and disciplinary proceedings, including suspension, removal, and restoration of registration. It will also indicate whether a doctor's licence is active or inactive, along with details of any disciplinary action.

The Ethics and Medical Registration Board and the NMC will have the authority to seek records and monitor State Medical Councils to promote uniformity and transparency in medical regulation.

The proposed amendments retain the five-year validity of a licence. If a doctor does not apply for renewal within three months of expiry, their registration will be marked inactive, and they will not be allowed to practise medicine. This inactive status will automatically appear in the NMR.

While creating a nationwide framework, the draft leaves disciplinary jurisdiction primarily with the State Medical Council in whose territory the alleged professional misconduct, unethical conduct, or medical negligence occurred. The concerned council will have the power to inquire into and decide the matter, and record the outcome against the practitioner's credentials in the online register. If disciplinary action is recommended by a State Council other than the doctor's primary registering council, the action will be reflected in the NMR and automatically updated in the State register of the primary council.

The draft also provides for an appeal mechanism. If a State Medical Council rejects an application for registration, licence, or renewal, the applicant can appeal to the Ethics and Medical Registration Board within 30 days. The Board will have 30 days to decide the appeal, and if it allows the appeal, its order directing the State Council to grant registration or a licence will be binding.

The proposed amendments also revise provisions related to foreign medical graduates. The definition will now include Indian citizens and Overseas Citizens of India who have obtained a foreign medical qualification in modern or allopathic medicine but do not hold an undergraduate medical degree from an Indian institution. Those who have passed the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination and meet the prescribed conditions will remain eligible.

The NMC said the move aims to streamline the registration process, reduce bureaucratic hurdles for doctors, and improve the quality and consistency of medical regulation across the country. The draft regulation is open for public feedback before it is finalised.