NMC proposes unique ID for doctors to allow practice across India without fresh registration

New Delhi: The National Medical Commission (NMC) has proposed introducing a centrally generated Unique Identification (UID) number for every registered medical practitioner, allowing doctors to practise across India without having to obtain separate registration or licences in different states.

The proposal is part of the draft Registration of Medical Practitioners and Licence to Practice Medicine (Amendment) Regulations, 2026, notified by the NMC on August 11.

Under the proposed system, once a doctor or foreign medical graduate is registered with a State Medical Register, the NMC’s Ethics and Medical Registration Board (EMRB) would generate a UID. The number would facilitate registration in the National Medical Register (NMR) and allow the practitioner to practise in any state or Union Territory.

The NMR, to be maintained by the EMRB, would serve as a central database containing doctors’ registration details, licence status and disciplinary records, including orders related to suspension, removal or restoration of registration.

The UID would include the code of the relevant state or Union Territory along with the registration number issued by the State Medical Register. The EMRB would also ensure that changes made to one register are automatically reflected in the other.

Under the draft framework, doctors would apply for registration and a licence through the EMRB’s unified online portal. The concerned State Medical Council would process applications within 30 days after collecting the prescribed fee. Once registration is approved and the UID is issued, the doctor would be permitted to practise anywhere in the country without seeking fresh registration.

The proposed system would also establish a more integrated mechanism for handling professional misconduct, unethical practices and medical negligence. Such cases would generally be examined by the State Medical Council in whose jurisdiction the alleged incident occurred, with disciplinary decisions reflected in the National Medical Register.

The licence to practise medicine would remain valid for five years. Doctors who fail to apply for renewal within three months of expiry would have their registration marked inactive and would not be permitted to practise. The inactive status would also be reflected automatically in the NMR.

The draft includes an appeal mechanism for doctors whose registration, licence or renewal applications are rejected by a State Medical Council. Appeals could be filed before the EMRB within 30 days, with the board required to decide them within another 30 days.

For doctors already registered under the Indian Medical Register or state registers but not yet assigned a UID, the NMC has proposed a one-time process to update their details through the EMRB portal. No fee would be charged for this exercise.

The proposed amendments also cover foreign medical graduates who have cleared the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE), or the National Exit Test once implemented. Foreign nationals pursuing postgraduate or super-speciality courses in India could also be granted temporary registration for the duration of their course, subject to a maximum period of 24 months and other prescribed conditions.

The NMC has invited stakeholders to submit objections and suggestions on the draft regulations. The proposed amendments will be considered after 30 days from the publication of the draft notification in the Gazette.

If finalised, the framework would move India towards a more unified system of medical registration, with a national UID enabling doctors to practise across states while State Medical Councils continue to handle registration, licensing and disciplinary matters within their jurisdictions.