Why is it in the news?

• The National Medical Commission (NMC) is introducing a unified registration platform for doctors in India.

More about the news

About the Platform

• The goal is to eliminate duplication, reduce bureaucratic procedures, and provide public access to information on Indian physicians.
• A pilot of the National Medical Register (NMR) will be launched in the next six months.
• Doctors will receive a unique identification number and can apply for a license to practice in any Indian state.
• NMC had previously released a gazette notification titled “Registration of Medical Practitioners and Licence to Practice Medicine Regulations, 2023” regarding this initiative.
• Undergraduate medical students will initially receive a masked ID on the NMR, which will be unmasked upon course completion.
• The ID will be useful for updating further qualifications. All state license registers will be linked to this ID and easily accessible.

Public Access and Data Transfer

• The general public will have access to the database.
• Information available includes a doctor’s qualifications, registration date, workplace, specialization, graduation year, and the institution from which they graduated.
• Existing regulations will remain in place until the system update is complete.
• Data of about 14 lakh doctors currently registered will be moved to the NMR.

Additional Provisions and Appeals

• NMC has outlined the procedures for adding qualifications, renewing licenses, transferring licenses, registration removal/restoration, and other processes.
• If a license application or renewal is denied by a State Medical Council, the applicant can appeal to the Ethics and Medical Registration Board (EMRB) within 30 days.