NMC Proposes Unique ID for Doctors to Enable Practice Anywhere in India

21 August 2026National

The National Medical Commission (NMC) notified the draft Registration of Medical Practitioners and Licence to Practice Medicine (Amendment) Regulations, 2026 on 11 August 2026, proposing a centrally generated Unique Identification (UID) number for every registered medical practitioner. Under the proposal, once a doctor or foreign medical graduate is registered in a State Medical Register, the Ethics and Medical Registration Board (EMRB) of the NMC would centrally issue a UID that grants registration in the National Medical Register (NMR) and eligibility to practise medicine anywhere in India without seeking a fresh state-wise licence. The centralised National Medical Register would also track a doctor's credentials, licence status and history of suspensions, cancellations or other disciplinary proceedings, replacing the current fragmented state-wise system while State Medical Councils retain jurisdiction over local registration and disciplinary cases. This draft withdraws and replaces an earlier version published on 7 April 2026.

Static GK

NMC replaced the Medical Council of India (MCI) under the National Medical Commission Act, 2019 | NMC has 4 autonomous boards, including the Ethics & Medical Registration Board | NEET-UG is the common entrance test for MBBS admissions in India

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