Maharashtra Medical Council clears 527 pending doctor registrations in 2 days

Mumbai: The Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) has cleared 527 pending doctor registrations within two days, issuing 330 provisional and 197 permanent certificates on October 12 and 13. 

The move comes after the council resumed full functioning on September 22, following a period of administrative control that began in 2022 amid a court dispute over its electoral process. Although registrations continued during this period, the process reportedly slowed down considerably, particularly from April onwards.

When the newly elected council took charge in September, 249 provisional and 566 permanent registrations were pending. The council prioritised clearing the backlog, with the MMC president stating that the final approval stage had delayed several applications.

A medical registration certificate is essential for graduates to proceed with internships and appear for postgraduate entrance examinations. The approval process has four levels, with the MMC president giving final clearance. 

The delay had also affected resident doctors awaiting registration. Around 350 applications were reportedly pending, including those of 66 resident doctors who were due to appear for the MD-MS entrance examination on September 25.

“Things came to such a pass that these doctors almost lost an academic year,” said Dr Atharva Shinde, president of Central MARD. “However, following successful intervention by MARD, the chief minister’s office relaxed the mandatory requirement of a registration certificate, subject to the condition that they produce it before their results. Now that the functioning of the board has been streamlined, these doctors will get their registrations, which will ensure that they receive their marksheets”, Hindustan Times reported.

Doctor registration in Maharashtra is handled entirely online. Applications from graduates within the state generally take a few days, while those from other states may take about a week because their qualifications need verification by the respective state medical council. For foreign medical graduates, the process can take months as verification may be required from the National Medical Commission, the foreign university and the country’s embassy.

The MMC currently has around 2.2 lakh registered doctors. The recent clearances are expected to ease delays for graduates and resident doctors awaiting registration.