MedicalRegister – NMC Faces Delays in Issuing National Medical Register Certificates
MedicalRegister – Nearly two years after the launch of the National Medical Register (NMR), the initiative has recorded limited progress, with only a small fraction of applicants receiving registration certificates despite thousands of submissions from medical practitioners across the country.
The National Medical Commission (NMC) has issued approximately 1,800 certificates under the National Medical Register system, representing just 0.05% of the registered medical practitioners who applied for inclusion in the database. Official records from commission meetings indicate that a significant number of applications remain pending at different stages of verification.
Thousands of Applications Await Verification
According to meeting records dated January 7, nearly 30,000 applications submitted by registered medical practitioners are still awaiting scrutiny by State Medical Councils (SMCs) and the NMC. The backlog has raised concerns among members of the commission regarding the pace of implementation of the national registration framework.
During the 17th meeting of the commission, chaired by NMC Chairman Dr. Abhijat Chandrakant Sheth, members discussed the slow advancement of the registration process. The meeting highlighted the need for focused efforts to accelerate updates to the National Medical Register and improve overall efficiency.
Committee Proposed to Address Challenges
The commission considered forming a dedicated committee to examine the issues affecting the registration drive and recommend practical solutions. Members also emphasized the importance of detailed discussions on the NMR, which is intended to serve as a unified national database of modern medicine practitioners in India.
Meeting documents noted several operational difficulties that have affected progress. These include voluntary participation by doctors, inconsistencies between records maintained by state councils and the national database, and technical limitations impacting workflow management.
Officials informed members that these concerns are currently being reviewed and that steps are being planned to strengthen the platform’s functionality and improve processing speed.
Shift From Mandatory to Voluntary Registration
The NMR portal was launched by Union Health Minister JP Nadda in August 2024 as part of an effort to create a comprehensive digital registry of medical practitioners. Initially, registration was expected to be mandatory for doctors across the country.
However, after the project witnessed a slow response and implementation hurdles, the Union Health Ministry later informed Parliament that participation in the NMR had been made voluntary. The clarification was provided in a written response on August 8, 2025.
The ministry’s statement came after questions were raised in Parliament regarding the pace of the portal’s rollout and the challenges encountered during its early stages.
Need for a Unified National Registration System
During discussions, NMC Secretary Dr. Raghav Langer pointed out that State Medical Councils currently operate through different digital platforms and, in some cases, continue to rely on offline registration methods. This variation, he said, creates difficulties in maintaining synchronised records between state databases and the National Medical Register.
Commission members stressed the importance of establishing a common registration platform that would allow real-time integration of state and national records. The proposed committee is expected to consult information technology specialists and present recommendations at future meetings.
Stakeholders Raise Concerns Over Progress
The meeting records were released by the NMC in response to a Right to Information request filed by Kerala-based RTI activist Dr. K.V. Babu. Speaking on the issue, Dr. Babu said concerns regarding the portal’s design and implementation had been highlighted by stakeholders shortly after its launch.
He noted that many practitioners encountered difficulties during the registration process and argued that the low number of certificates issued reflects broader systemic challenges. According to him, developing a reliable and updated database of medical practitioners remains essential for healthcare planning, workforce assessment, and policy decisions, including approvals for new medical colleges.
As the NMC evaluates possible reforms, stakeholders are expecting faster processing mechanisms and improved coordination between state councils and the national regulator to ensure the successful implementation of the National Medical Register