National Medical Commission (NMC) to Launch "One Nation, One Registration" Platform for Doctors

• 03 Nov 2023

The National Medical Commission (NMC), the governing body for medical education and professionals in India, is set to introduce a "one nation, one registration platform" for doctors.

• This platform aims to streamline processes, eliminate duplication, and provide public access to information on all physicians practicing in the country.

Key Points

• Pilot of National Medical Register (NMR): The NMC plans to launch a pilot program for the National Medical Register (NMR) in the next six months.
• Under this system, doctors will receive a unique identification number, enabling them to apply for a license to practice medicine in any Indian state based on their location.
• Regulatory Gazette Notification: Earlier this year, the NMC issued a gazette notification titled "Registration of Medical Practitioners and License to Practice Medicine Regulations, 2023," announcing this significant initiative.
• Masked ID for Undergraduate Students: The concept involves providing undergraduate medical students with a masked ID in the NMR.
• As they complete their medical courses, their IDs will be unmasked and allocated to them.
• This unique ID will serve as a comprehensive platform to update qualifications, and it will be linked to all state registers for easy access to licensure information.
• Accessibility to Public and Relevant Information: The NMR will make relevant information about medical practitioners accessible to the general public.
• This information will include details such as qualifications, registration date, workplace (hospital or institute name), specialization, year of graduation, university, and the institution/university where the qualification was obtained.
• Transfer of Existing Data: The NMR will incorporate the data of approximately 14 lakh (1.4 million) doctors who are currently registered in the system.
• Comprehensive Regulations by NMC: The NMC has established regulations covering various aspects, including registration of additional qualifications, license renewal, transfer of licensure, removal and restoration of registration, transitory provisions, and denial of a license to practice medicine.
• Appeal Process for License Denial: If a candidate's application for a license to practice medicine or renewal is rejected by the State Medical Council, the applicant has the option to appeal the decision to the Ethics and Medical Registration Board (EMRB) within 30 days.
• MoU with Quality Council of India (QCI): The NMC has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Quality Council of India (QCI).
• This agreement aims to rate medical institutions in India, including both government and private medical colleges, based on the quality of medical education they provide.