Breaking news: NMC issues draft amendments to registration of medical practitioners and license to practice medicine regulations
New Delhi: Through a recent gazette notification, the Ethics and Medical Registration Board (EMRB) of the National Medical Commission (NMC) has issued draft amendments to the Registration of Medical Practitioners and Licence to Practice Medicine Regulations, 2023.
Releasing the “Registration of Medical Practitioners and Licence to Practice Medicine (Amendment) Regulations 2026” on 11.08.2026, the Apex Medical Commission has further withdrawn the Draft “Registration of Medical Practitioners and Licence to Practice Medicine (Amendment), Regulations 2026” previously published in the Gazette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.
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that, 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, withdrawing the same, the Commission has released a fresh draft which proposes to amend clauses 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, and insert 9A and delete clause 9. The Commission has invited objections and suggestions from the stakeholders within 30 days from the date of the Gazette notification.
"These Regulations may be called the “Registration of Medical Practitioners and Licence to Practice Medicine (Amendment), Regulations 2026”. (ii) They shall come into force from the date of their publication in the Official Gazette," mentioned the Gazette notification dated 11.08.2026.
As per the Gazette notification, the NMC has proposed the following amendments:
i. in Regulation 2 Clause (a)
(a) - “Additional Qualifications” are those qualifications other than the Primary Medical Qualifications duly recognized under Chapter VI of the NMC Act 2019 and obtained by Registered Medical Practitioner as per Post Graduate Medical Regulations.
Shall be substituted as under:
(a) “Additional Qualifications” are those qualifications other than the Primary Medical Qualifications duly recognized under Chapter VI of the NMC Act 2019 and obtained by Registered Medical Practitioner as per Post Graduate Medical Education Regulations.
ii. In Regulation 2 (b)
(b) “Foreign Medical Graduate” will be an Indian Citizen who has duly qualified to practice modern / allopathic system of medicine, as currently recognized as a Primary Medical Qualification by the National Medical Commission, from an university / institution overseas but does not have primary medical qualification (undergraduate medical degree), from an Indian university or Indian medical college or an Indian institution.
Shall be substituted as under:
(b) “Foreign Medical Graduate(FMG)” will be an Indian Citizen/ Overseas Citizen of India (OCI), who has duly qualified to practice modern /allopathic system of medicine but does not have primary medical qualification (undergraduate medical degree), from an Indian university or Indian medical college or an Indian institution.
iii. In Regulation 2 clause (cc) shall be inserted after clause (c)
(cc) 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.
iv. In Regulation 2, clause (g) shall be inserted after clause (f)
(g) “Person" means an Indian citizen, or an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI), or any foreign national authorized or sponsored by the competent authority in India, who obtains a primary medical qualification in India recognized under the National Medical Commission Act, 2019, and the regulations made there under.
v. In Regulation 3 clause (ii)
(ii) Any person who obtains a foreign medical qualification and qualifies the National Exit Test (NExT) held under section 15 of the Act, and fulfils conditions specified in the Foreign Medical Graduated Regulations, 2021 may also be granted provisional registration for doing internship by the concerned State Medical Council.
Shall be substituted as under:
(ii) Any FMG who obtains a foreign medical qualification and qualifies the Foreign Medical Graduate Examinations (FMGE) or until National Exit Test (NEXT) comes into force held under section 15 of the Act, and fulfils conditions specified in the Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate Regulations, 2021 may also be granted provisional registration for doing internship by the concerned State Medical Council.
vi. In Regulation 4 clause (ii)
Clause (ii) - Any person who obtains a foreign medical qualification and qualifies the National Exit Test held under section 15 of the Act, shall also be entitled for grant of registration in NMR, subject to fulfillment of conditions specified in the Foreign Medical Graduates Regulation, 2021.
Shall be substituted as under:
(ii). Any FMG who obtains a foreign medical qualification and qualifies the Foreign Medical Graduate Examinations (FMGE) or until the National Exit Test (NEXT) held under section 15 of the Act, shall also be entitled for grant of registration in NMR, subject to fulfillment of conditions specified in the Foreign Medical Graduates Licentiate Regulation, 2021
vii. In Regulation 4 clause (iii)
(iii) 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.
Shall be substituted as under:
(iii) 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.
viii. In Regulation 4 clause (iv)
(iv) 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.
Shall be substituted as under:
(iv) 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.
ix. In Regulation 5 in clause(ii) sub clause (k) & (l) shall be inserted-
(k) Active/Inactive status of licence to practice medicine
(l) Details of disciplinary action against the RMP, if any.
x. In Regulation 5, after clause (ii), clause iii & clause iv shall be inserted-
(iii) The National Medical Register shall serve as the central repository of the registration particulars of Registered Medical Practitioners and of any disciplinary proceedings, orders of suspension, removal, restoration, or any such order issued by a State Medical Council, the Ethics and Medical Registration Board, or the National Medical Commission
(iv) The Ethics and Medical Registration Board and the National Medical Commission shall have the power to issue directions, seek information, call for records, and monitor compliance by State Medical Councils for maintaining uniformity, transparency, and effective regulation of medical practitioners throughout India.
(xi) In Regulation 6
6. Grant of licence to practice medicine:
Procedure for making application for licence to practice medicine:
(a) For the purpose of obtaining licence, a person may apply through a web portal of the Ethics & Medical Registration Board containing such details as specified in the electronic format.
(b) The eligible person may opt any State/States to practice medicine and the application so made through the web portal shall be referred to the concerned State/ States Medical Council.
(c) The State Medical Council shall satisfy themselves and consider the application for grant of licence to practice medicine in that state after charging appropriate fee within a period of 30 days.
(d) The certificate of licence shall contain a registration number which shall be formed in such a way that a Unique Identification Number shall be suffixed with a Code of the concerned State/Union Territory.
(e) On approval of the application by the State Medical Council, the same shall be reflected in the National Medical Register and alsoin the State Medical Register.
Shall be substituted as:
6. Grant of Registration and licence to Practice Medicine:
Procedure for making application for Registration and licence to practice medicine:
b) Deleted
c) The concerned State Medical Council shall satisfy themselves and consider the application for grant of Registration and licence to practice medicine after charging appropriate fee within a period of 30 days.
d) Deleted
e) 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.
f) Upon grant of registration and licence to practice medicine by a SMC and the allotment of a Unique Identification Number (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
(xii). In Regulation 7 clause (i)
(i) As and when a Registered Medical practitioner, obtains additional medical qualification recognized under the National Medical Commission Act, 2019 shall apply to the concerned State Medical Council for entering additional medical qualification against his/her name in the State Register/National Register.
Shall be substituted as:
(i) As and when a Registered Medical practitioner, obtains additional medical qualification recognized under the National Medical Commission Act, 2019 shall apply to the concerned State Medical Council where he / she is primarily registered, through the Unified Registration portal of the Ethics & Medical Registration Board, for entering additional medical qualification against his/her name in the State Register.
(xiii). In Regulation 7 clause (vi)
(vi). Before, the National Register comes into force the existing system of the registration of the additional qualification shall continue.
Shall be substituted as:
(vi). Till such time, the National Register comes fully into force; the existing system of the registration of the additional qualification shall continue.
(xiv). In Regulation 8 clause (i)
(i) The licence to practice medicine issued to a registered medical practitioner shall be valid for a period of Five years after which the medical practitioner shall have to renew the licencing by making an application to the State Medical Council as per the procedure specified under clause 6 (ii) of these Regulations.
Shall be substituted as:
(i) The licence to practice medicine issued to a registered medical practitioner shall be valid for a period of Five years after which the medical practitioner shall have to renew the licence by making an application to the concerned State Medical Council as per the procedure specified under clause 6(a) of these Regulations.
(xv). In Regulation 8 clause (iii)
(iii) Provided that if no application is received within three month of expiration of the validity of licence, the entry of the name of the medical practitioner in the State Register shall be converted as inactive and the person shall not be entitled to practice medicine. The entry of the status – ‘inactive’ made in the State Register against a medical practitioner, shall automatically reflected in the National Register
Shall be substituted as:
(iii) Provided that if no application is received within three month of expiration of the validity of licence, the entry of the name of the medical practitioner in the State Register shall be converted as inactive and the person shall not be entitled to practice medicine. The entry of the status – ‘inactive’ made in the State Register against a medical practitioner, shall automatically be reflected in the National Register.
(xvi). Regulation 9 shall be deleted and 9A shall be inserted:
9A. Jurisdiction in cases of alleged professional misconduct or medical negligence
(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in these Regulations, where an allegation of professional misconduct, unethical conduct, or medical negligence is made against a Registered Medical Practitioner, the State Medical Council within whose territorial jurisdiction, the cause of action has arisen shall have jurisdiction to inquire into and decide the matter. The concerned SMC shall have the right to implement the decision and reflect against the credentials of the RMP in the online register.
(2) The procedure for inquiry, disciplinary proceedings, appeals, and all matters incidental thereto shall be governed by the corresponding Regulations framed under the relevant provisions of the National Medical Commission Act, 2019.
(xvii). In Regulation 10 clause (i)
(i) If the name of a registered medical practitioner is removed from the State Register under the provisions of the Regulations framed by the National Medical Commission, permanently or temporarily, the State Medical Council, shall make an entry against the name of the concerned medical practitioner for the effect in the State Register.
Shall be substituted as:
(i) If the name of a registered medical practitioner is removed from the State Register under the provisions of the Regulations framed by the National Medical Commission, permanently or temporarily, the State Medical Council of primary registration, shall make an entry against the name of the concerned medical practitioner for the effect in the State Register
(xviii). In Regulation 10 clause (ii)
(ii) On restoration of name of any registered medical practitioner in the State register under the provision of the Regulations framed by the National Medical Commission, the State Medical Council, shall make an entry against the name of the concerned medical practitioner for that effect in the State Register.
Shall be substituted as under:
(ii) On restoration of name of any registered medical practitioner in the State register under the provision of the Regulations framed by the National Medical Commission, the State Medical Council of primary registration, shall make an entry against the name of the concerned medical practitioner for that effect in the State Register.
(xix) In Regulation 10 after clause (iii), clause (iv) shall be inserted
(iv) Where an action after due enquiry is recommended by the SMC other than State Medical Council of primary registration; in which professional misconduct, unethical conduct, or medical negligence has taken place; the same shall get reflected in the National Register with corresponding automatic updation in the SMR of SMC of Primary Registration.
(xx). Regulation 11
Transitory Provisions
All the existing medical practitioner enrolled in the Indian Medical Register or the State Medical Register, not having the registration number as per these Regulation shall update in the web portal of the Ethics & Medical Registration Board within a period of three months of publishing of these Regulation and obtain the Registration Number as a onetime measure and the licence so generated shall be valid for period of five years from the date of issuance. For the purpose of updating of licence of such medical practitioner, no fee shall be charged by EMRB, NMC.
Shall be substituted as:
Transitory Provisions
All the existing medical practitioner 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.
(xxi). In Regulation 12 clause (i),(ii) & (iii)
12. Denial of Licence to Practice
i. If the application of a candidate for grant of licence to practice / for renewal is rejected by the State Medical Council on any ground, the applicant concerned may file an appeal to the Ethics and Medical Registration Board against the decision of the State medical Council, within thirty days of receipt of such decision.
ii. Such an appeal may be submitted to the Secretary, National Medical Commission along with the following:
a. Original application submitted to the State Medical Council. b. Copy if order/communication received from the State Medical Council for rejection of the appeal. c. A written application contending the grounds of rejection. d. A processing fee (as prescribed by EMRB, NMC from time to time), in favour of the Secretary, NMC.
iii. The Ethics and Medical Registration Board shall examine the appeal and take a decision within thirty days. If the appeal is allowed by the Ethics and Medical Registration Board, it may pass an order for the State Medical Council to grant licence to practice to the applicant and the order so passed by the EMRB shall by binding on the State Medical Council. In such case, the State Medical Council shall forthwith and not more than fifteen days of receipt of such order, shall grant licence to practice to the applicant.
Shall be substituted as:
12. Denial of Registration & Licence to Practice
i. If the application of a candidate for grant of registration & licence to practice /renewal of license to practice is rejected by the State Medical Council on any ground, the applicant concerned may file an appeal to the Ethics and Medical Registration Board against the decision of the State medical Council, within thirty days of receipt of such decision.
ii. Such an appeal may be submitted to the Secretary, National Medical Commission along with the following:
a. Original application submitted to the State Medical Council. b. Copy of order/communication received from the State Medical Council for rejection of the application. c. A written application contending the grounds of rejection. d. A processing fee (as prescribed by EMRB, NMC from time to time), in favour of the Secretary, NMC.
iii. The Ethics and Medical Registration Board shall examine the appeal and take a decision within thirty days. If the appeal is allowed by the Ethics and Medical Registration Board, it may pass an order for the State Medical Council to grant registration &licence to practice/renewal of licence to practice to the applicant and the order so passed by the EMRB shall by binding on the State Medical Council. In such case, the State Medical Council shall forthwith and not more than fifteen days of receipt of such order, shall grant registration & licence to practice to the applicant.
(xxii). In Regulation 13.1.1 clause (ii), sub clause (ee) shall be inserted after sub clause (e)
(ee) A valid Good Standing Certificate issued by the competent Medical Council or licensing authority of the concerned country.
(xxiii). In Regulation 13.1.1 proviso to clause (iii) shall be inserted
Provided that, where the duration of the postgraduate or super-specialty course tenure is extended for any reason, the foreign citizen shall apply to the Ethics and Medical Registration Board for extension or renewal of the Temporary Registration for the extended period with stipulated time frame and the Temporary Registration shall remain valid only up to the completion of the course or until the expiry of the extended period as approved by the Ethics and Medical Registration Board.
(xxiv). In Regulation 13.1.2, clause (iii)
(iii) On Scrutiny of the application, if the same is found to be correct as required in these regulations, the Ethics and Medical Registration Board may grant a temporary registration in respect of the foreign national which shall be provided for a maximum period of 12 months followed by a cooling off period of one year and shall be limited to the medical college/institution/hospital sponsoring the programme.
Shall be substituted as
(iii) On Scrutiny of the application, if the same is found to be correct as required in these regulations, the Ethics and Medical Registration Board may grant a temporary registration in respect of the foreign national which shall be provided for the duration of the course subject to maximum period of 24 Months followed by a cooling off period of one year and shall be limited to the medical college/institution/hospital sponsoring the programme.
Call for Feedback:
"The National Medical Commission proposes certain amendment to “Registration of Medical Practitioners and Licence to Practice Medicine Regulations, 2023”. The draft regulation amending the regulation in 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,10,11,12,13 inserted 9A and deleted 9, have been prepared and approved by the competent authority following due procedure and is hereby published for information of all stakeholders likely to be affected thereby and notice is hereby given that the said draft Regulation (amendment) shall be taken into consideration on or after the expiry of a period of thirty (30) days from the date on which the copies of the Gazette of India containing these draft Regulation (amendment) are made available to public," NMC mentioned in the notification.
"The Draft “Registration of Medical Practitioners and Licence to Practice Medicine (Amendment), Regulations 2026” pre published in Gazette of India vide notification no. 246 dated 7th April 2026 (R-11012/04/2025-Regn/NMC) stands withdrawn," it added.
NMC said that the objections and suggestions which may be received from any person within the period specified above will be considered by the National Medical Commission.
The format for comments is attached in the notification attached below.
To view the notification, click on the link below:
