The National Medical Commission (NMC), the regulatory body for medical education and medical professionals in India, is preparing to introduce a “one nation, one registration platform” for doctors. This platform aims to streamline processes, eliminate duplication, and make information about physicians easily accessible to the public.
The National Medical Register (NMR) Pilot
Within the next six months, the NMC will launch a pilot of the National Medical Register (NMR), where doctors will receive unique identification numbers. These IDs will enable them to apply for licenses to practice medicine in any Indian state. The NMC issued a gazette notification earlier this year titled “Registration of Medical Practitioners and License to Practice Medicine Regulations, 2023” to announce this initiative.
Masked ID for Undergraduate Students
Undergraduate students will receive a masked ID on the NMR, which will be unmasked upon completing their courses. This ID can be used to update additional qualifications, and state registers for medical licenses will be linked to it, making the process accessible and efficient.
Public Access to Doctor Information
The database will provide relevant information about medical practitioners, including their qualifications, registration date, workplace details (hospital or institute name), specialization, year of graduation, university, and the institution or university where they obtained their qualifications. Until the system is updated, the existing regulations will remain in effect.
Transfer of Existing Doctor Data
Data for the approximately 14 lakh (1.4 million) doctors already registered in the system will be transferred to the NMR.
Other NMC Initiatives
The NMC has also outlined processes for registration of additional qualifications, license renewal, license transfer, removal and restoration of registration, transitory provisions, and denial of medical practice licenses. According to the notification on the denial of a medical license, candidates can appeal a rejection by the State Medical Council within 30 days.
MoU with Quality Council of India
The NMC has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Quality Council of India (QCI) to rate medical institutions in the country. This initiative will assess both government and private medical colleges based on the quality of medical education they offer, starting from the 2024-25 academic session.