NMC mandates common National Medical Register & separate UID for every practitioner

On 12-5-2023, the National Medical Commission notified the Registration of Medical Practitioners and Licence to Practice Medicine Regulations, 2023. The provisions came into force on 12-5-2023.

Key Points:

1. Provisional Registration for internship training is granted under these regulations to the person who has passed the qualifying examination of any University/ medical institution, in India, for grant of a recognized medical qualification. Persons with foreign medical qualifications who have passed the National Exit Test (‘NExT’) can also get Provisional Registration. This Provisional Registration will be granted by the State Medical Council (‘SMC’).

2. Registration in National Medical Register (‘NMR’) for licence to practice:

• The following persons are entitled for grant of registration in NMR:

• With primary medical qualification recognized under the National Medical Commission Act, 2019 and qualifies the NExT.

• With foreign medical qualification and qualifies the NExT after fulfilling conditions specified in the Foreign Medical Graduates Regulation, 2021.

• Unique Identification (‘UID’) Number will be generated centrally by the Ethics & Medical Registration Board and National Medical Commission granting the practitioner Registration in NMR and Eligibility to practice medicine in India. A processing fee will be charged for generation of UID.

Note: Until the date of enforcement of these regulations, the prevailing system of Registration and licence to practice will continue.

3. National Medical Register has to be maintained by the Ethics and Medical Registration Board containing all entries of registered medical practitioners of all State Register maintained by the SMC.

4. Grant of licence to practice medicine:

• For licence, apply through the Ethics and Medical Registration Board.

• Any State/ States to practice can be opted.

• SMC can grant licence, after satisfying themselves, within 30 days after charging appropriate fee.

• Certificate of licence should contain registration number, UID number with State’s/ U.T.’s code.

5. Any licence will be valid for a period of 5 years, post which the practitioner will have to apply to the SMC for renewal of Licence to practice. Application of renewal can be made 3 months before the expiration of validity of licence. In case of failure to apply, the practitioner will be converted as inactive and will not be permitted to practice.

6. Transitory Provision: All the existing practitioner enrolled in the Indian Medical Register or the State Medical Register who do not have registration number will have to update it on the web portal of the Ethics & Medical Registration Board within a period of 3 months of publishing of these Regulation and obtain the Registration Number as a onetime measure.

7. Temporary Registration can be granted to the Foreign Medical Practitioners for the purpose of pursuing Postgraduate and Super-Specialty courses, fellowships, Certificate courses, Clinical research/training, Observership, expert visit, voluntary clinical service.