National Medical Commission Proposes Single License for Doctors to Practice Across India

The National Medical Commission (NMC) has proposed a unified registration framework that permits medical practitioners to practice anywhere across India using a single license. Under the proposed system, once a medical professional registers with a State Medical Council, they will be assigned a permanent Unique Identification (UID) number within the National Medical Register. This eliminates the long-standing administrative requirement for doctors to seek separate, repetitive registrations when relocating or offering healthcare services in different states. The move is aimed at increasing medical workforce mobility and facilitating faster deployment of healthcare resources nationwide. A Nationwide Framework for Medical Licensure In a landmark regulatory reform, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has proposed a unified "One Nation, One Registration" system enabling medical practitioners to practice across India under a single national license. Issued under the draft Registration of Medical Practitioners and Licence to Practice Medicine (Amendment) Regulations, 2026, the framework establishes a centralized digital pipeline managed by the Ethics and Medical Registration Board (EMRB). Under the proposed rules, once a doctor completes primary registration with a State Medical Council (SMC), the EMRB automatically generates a Unique Identification (UID) number linked to the National Medical Register (NMR). This centralized UID incorporates the specific state council code along with the practitioner's state registration number, creating an authenticated national credential. Consequently, obtaining this central UID eliminates the historic requirement for physicians to seek fresh registration or separate individual licenses when relocating, practicing, or consulting in another state or Union Territory. This streamlined approach marks a decisive end to redundant bureaucratic hurdles for healthcare specialists across the country. Digital Synchronization and Transparency To maintain administrative integrity, the draft regulations mandate real-time electronic synchronization between State Medical Registers and the National Medical Register. Whenever a state council adds a new qualification, updates a practitioner's active status, or records disciplinary proceedings, the modifications automatically reflect across both national and state databases simultaneously. The centralized portal will also serve as a transparent public repository, displaying whether a clinician holds an active or inactive license alongside details of any formal misconduct inquiries. Existing registered doctors enrolled under previous frameworks will be required to update their credentials on the EMRB portal as a one-time transition, which the Commission has made completely free of cost. Furthermore, the proposed draft establishes clear timeframes, requiring state councils to process and decide on registration applications within thirty days. Impact on Healthcare Mobility and Foreign Graduates The proposed national license model significantly enhances interstate mobility for medical professionals while standardizing clinical oversight nationwide. By allowing specialists to render services across state boundaries without delay, rural and underserved regions can more easily attract qualified doctors from across India. The draft amendments also introduce vital updates for Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) and Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs), streamlining provisional registration pathways through both the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) and the future National Exit Test (NExT). While administrative jurisdiction for investigating medical negligence remains with the state council where an alleged event occurred, disciplinary actions will instantly reflect in the central register to prevent bad actors from practicing elsewhere. As the public consultation window opens for stakeholder feedback, this unified licensing framework signals a major modernization of India's medical governance ecosystem.