NMC proposes Unique Identification Number for doctors- Licence to practise across India, disciplinary records centrally tracked

New Delhi: A Unique Identification (UID) Number for doctors will be generated after registration in the concerned State Medical Register, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has proposed in the recently released Registration of Medical Practitioners and Licence to Practice Medicine (Amendment) Regulations 2026.

Under the existing rules, medical practitioners register primarily with the individual State Medical Councils. Without electronic synchronisation with the national database, it was not possible to track the disciplinary history of doctors or the status of their practice across the country.

Now, the NMC has proposed that the centralised portal of the National Medical Register will record the credentials, licence status, history of suspensions, cancellations, or other formal disciplinary proceedings.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that by releasing the "Registration of Medical Practitioners and Licence to Practice Medicine (Amendment) Regulations 2026” on 11.08.2026, the Apex Medical Commission has introduced amendments to the "Registration of Medical Practitioners and Licence to Practice Medicine Regulations, 2023," and proposed to upgrade the existing National Medical Register (NMR).

NMC has proposed the following changes regarding the National Medical Register and the Unique Identification Number of doctors:

(1) NMC has mentioned that the National Medical Register (NMR) shall be a National Register of medical practitioners maintained by EMRB, as specified in Section 31 of NMC Act, 2019, with a Unique Identification (UID) Number assigned to every medical practitioner registered under State Medical Register (SMR) maintained by the State Medical Councils. The NMR Number shall be valid for the purpose of medical practice across India, in accordance with the provisions of these Regulations.

(2) Regulation 4 Clause (iii) of the Registration of Medical Practitioners and Licence to Practice Medicine Regulations, 2023 mentioned that the UID for doctors shall be generated centrally by the Ethics and Medical Registration Board (EMRB) of NMC.

"Generation of Unique Identification (UID) Number: An UID shall be generated centrally by the Ethics & Medical Registration Board (EMRB), National Medical Commission (NMC) and thereby grant the practitioner, Registration in NMR and Eligibility to practice medicine in India," the 2023 regulations stated.

NMC has now proposed to substitute with the following:

"Generation of Unique Identification (UID) Number: Once any person/FMG has registered in the concerned State Medical Register; An UID shall be generated centrally by the Ethics & Medical Registration Board (EMRB), National Medical Commission (NMC); thereby granting the practitioner, Registration in NMR and Eligibility to practice medicine anywhere in India."

(3) Under the 2023 regulations, NMC had mentioned that a processing fee for generation of UID (as prescribed by EMRB, NMC from time to time shall be payable), in favour of the Secretary, NMC. The Commission has now proposed to substitute Regulation 4 clause (iv) with the following:

"The EMRB shall ensure electronic synchronization of the National Register and the State Register in such a manner that any change in one register is automatically reflected in the other register."

(4) Proposing changes in the procedure for making application for licence to practice medicine, NMC has mentioned that "On approval of the application by the State Medical Council, the same shall be reflected in the State Medical Register & the National Medical Register. The Unique Identification (UID) Number of NMR shall be formed in such a way that the Code of the concerned State / Union Territory and assigned SMR Number shall get embedded in the assigned Unique Identification (UID) Number."

(5) NMC has also proposed that after grant of registration and licence to practice medicine by an SMC, and the allotment of a UID in the National Medical Register by EMRB, the medical practitioner shall be eligible to practice medicine in any State or Union Territory of India without requiring fresh registration & license to practice medicine in any other State or Union Territory.

(6) The Commission has proposed that all the existing medical practitioners enrolled in the Indian Medical Register or the State Medical Register, not having the Unique Identification (UID) number of NMR as per these Regulation shall update in the web portal of the Ethics & Medical Registration Board within stipulated period, as decided by the Ethics & Medical Registration Board and obtain the Unique Identification (UID) Number as a onetime measure.

For the purpose of updating of Unique Identification (UID) number of such medical practitioner, no fee shall be charged by EMRB, NMC, the Commission has specified.

Back in April, NMC issued a draft notification proposing amendments to the 2023 regulations and invited objections and suggestions from stakeholders until May 7, 2026. Back then, the Commission had proposed to amend regulations 2, 6, 7, 8, 9, and had inserted 10A in the original regulations.

Now, releasing the “Registration of Medical Practitioners and Licence to Practice Medicine (Amendment) Regulations 2026” on 11.08.2026, the Apex Medical Commission has withdrawn the Draft “Registration of Medical Practitioners and Licence to Practice Medicine (Amendment), Regulations 2026” previously published in the Gazette notification dated 7th April 2026.

In the new Draft, NMC has proposed to amend Regulations 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, and insert 9A and delete 9. The Commission has invited objections and suggestions from the stakeholders within 30 days from the date of the Gazette notification.

Also Read: Breaking news: NMC issues draft amendments to registration of medical practitioners and license to practice medicine regulations