Doctors question the need to register again for National Medical Register
The doctors argue that their database is already available with respective State Medical Councils
The National Medical Commission (NMC) is facing criticism over its plan to create a National Medical Register (NMR), as doctors argue that they are being asked to pay fees and register again for a database that already exists within State Medical Councils. The Ethics and Medical Registration Board (EMRB) of the NMC is currently amending the Registration of Medical Practitioners and Licence to Practice Medicine Regulations, 2026, in an effort to establish the NMR.
The NMR aims to create a unified, reliable national database to simplify the verification of doctors' qualifications and registration status, as well as facilitate their practice across state lines. The system envisions a unique NMR identification number, linked to each doctor's existing State registration number. However, the main dispute centers around who is responsible for creating this national database - should it be the task of the State Medical Councils to provide the data, or should individual doctors apply for registration, pay a fee, and await EMRB verification of credentials?
According to the NMC Act, 2019, Sections 31(1), 31(6), and 31(7) state that the EMRB is responsible for maintaining a National Register of all licensed medical practitioners, and that State Medical Councils will maintain and update their respective State Registers in collaboration with the EMRB. This information is crucial for ensuring the smooth synchronization of data between the National Register and State Registers.
Critics, such as Kannur-based doctor and RTI activist K.V. Babu, argue that nowhere in the NMC Act does it mention that registered medical practitioners are responsible for applying for NMR registration. Additionally, a written reply from the Union Health Ministry, quoting NMC, stated that applying for NMR registration is voluntary. This leads doctors to question why the NMR creation process is complicated and why they must undergo registration and verification procedures once again.
Doctors emphasize that their data is already held by State Medical Councils and only needs to be transferred to the EMRB. They find it difficult to comprehend why the NMR creation process should be so convoluted and why doctors are being subjected to yet another round of registration and verification requirements. M.N. Menon, State President of Indian Medical Association (Kerala), echoes these concerns, stating that the NMR database creation process is causing unnecessary complications and imposing additional burdens on doctors, who have already paid substantial registration and licensing-related charges to State Medical Councils.
Written by urgent.news from The Hindu Health's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
