The National Medical Commission (NMC) has proposed a major change to the way doctors are registered and licensed in India. Under its 2026 draft regulations, every registered medical practitioner could receive a centrally generated Unique Identification (UID) number. The proposed system would allow a doctor registered in one state to practise in other states without obtaining a separate registration or licence each time.
Under the proposed framework, the concerned State Medical Council would continue to handle the initial registration of doctors. Once the registration is approved, the NMC’s Ethics and Medical Registration Board (EMRB) would generate the UID and record the practitioner in the National Medical Register (NMR). The proposal also seeks stronger electronic coordination between state-level registers and the national database, allowing changes in registration status to be reflected across the system.
The proposed system could make interstate practice easier for doctors while also improving nationwide tracking of professional records. Details such as licence status, suspension, removal from the register and other disciplinary proceedings could be maintained centrally, helping prevent gaps when a doctor moves between states. However, the single-licence system is still at the draft stage, with the NMC currently inviting suggestions and objections before the regulations are finalised.
