NEW DELHI: The National Medical Commission (NMC) has proposed to centrally link all records of registered medical practitioners (RMP), including action against them for professional misconduct, unethical conduct, or medical negligence.
According to the draft Registration of Medical Practitioners and License to Practice Medicine (Amendment) Regulations, 2026, the National Medical Register (NMR) will serve as the central repository of the registration particulars of RMP and of any disciplinary proceedings, orders of suspension, removal, restoration, or any such order issued by a State Medical Council (SMC), the Ethics and Medical Registration Board (EMRB), or the NMC.
The draft further said that the EMRB and the NMC will have the power to issue directions, seek information, call for records, and monitor compliance by SMC for maintaining uniformity, transparency, and effective regulation of medical practitioners throughout India.
It also proposed that 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.
“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,” it said.
The proposal states that the 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.
Also, it states that upon grant of registration and licence to practice medicine by a SMC and the allotment of a UID in the NMR by EMRB; the medical practitioner shall be eligible to practice medicine in any state or Union Territory without requiring fresh registration and license to practice medicine in any other State or Union Territory
The NMC, which published the draft on August 11, has invited objections and suggestions from all stakeholders within 30 days.
The draft also proposes that if registration or license of a RMP is rejected then appeal can be made to the EMRB within 30 days. If the appeal is allowed then the SMC can grant the license within 15 days.
A medical licence will be valid for five years, and if it is not renewed within three months after expiry, then the RMP will not be allowed to practice and will be marked inactive.
The Commission said that the earlier draft “Registration of Medical Practitioners and Licence to Practice Medicine (Amendment), Regulations 2026” pre published in Gazette on April 7, stands withdrawn.
