"One Nation, One Licence for Doctors!" NMC Proposes Unique ID Allowing Medical Practitioners to Practise Anywhere in India!

In a major nationwide reform for India's healthcare system, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has proposed a centrally generated Unique Identification (UID) number for every registered doctor across the country. Under the draft Registration of Medical Practitioners and Licence to Practice Medicine (Amendment) Regulations, 2026, notified on August 11, doctors will soon be able to legally practice medicine in any state or Union Territory across India without having to go through separate state-by-state re-registrations or apply for fresh local licences.

Under the proposed framework, once an Indian doctor or Foreign Medical Graduate (FMG) registers with their respective State Medical Council, the Ethics and Medical Registration Board (EMRB) under the NMC will centrally generate a single UID. This UID automatically enrolls the practitioner into the National Medical Register (NMR). The centralized registry will electronically sync with state boards to track verified degrees, active five-year licence renewals, and disciplinary history in real time, creating a single, tamper-proof national database.