Concerns have intensified over the slow implementation of the National Medical Register (NMR), with the National Medical Commission (NMC) revealing that only around 1,800 registration certificates have been issued since the portal became operational on August 23, 2024, while more than 30,000 applications remain pending verification.
According to the minutes of the 17th meeting of the National Medical Commission, accessed by Medical Dialogues, the pace of registration remains significantly below expectations despite the NMR being envisioned as a comprehensive national database of all registered allopathic doctors in India.
More Than 30,000 Applications Await Verification
The NMR was launched to create a consolidated and dynamic repository of registered medical practitioners (RMPs) across the country. The platform was designed to verify the authenticity of doctors through Aadhaar-based authentication and maintain a unified national database.
However, the NMC minutes noted that while the NMR was operationalised on August 23, 2024, only approximately 1,800 certificates have been issued so far. At the same time, over 30,000 applications are pending verification at the level of State Medical Councils (SMCs) and the NMC.
Considering government data presented in Parliament in 2023, which estimated the number of registered medical practitioners in India at 13,49,679, the number of processed NMR registrations remains extremely low.
Doctors Report Registration Difficulties
Medical professionals have repeatedly raised concerns regarding the NMR registration process. Earlier, doctors had urged authorities to simplify the system by automatically converting existing state medical registrations into national registrations.
Many applicants reportedly faced issues related to Aadhaar verification, discrepancies in personal details, spelling mismatches in names and surnames, and inconsistencies between state medical council records and NMR data.
NMC Acknowledges Operational Challenges
The NMC minutes acknowledged that several operational challenges have contributed to the slow progress of the National Medical Register.
The Commission noted that voluntary enrolment, inconsistencies between State Medical Registers and the NMR database, and technical limitations affecting workflow efficiency have hampered the registration process.
Further, feedback received from medical professionals indicated a need to review and improve the existing registration mechanism. The Commission stated that these challenges are currently being examined and additional measures are being planned to strengthen system functionality and accelerate registrations.
Proposal for Committee to Expedite NMR Updates
During the meeting, NMC members expressed concern over the slow progress and agreed that detailed deliberations were necessary to address issues related to the National Medical Register.
A proposal was put forward to constitute a dedicated committee tasked with identifying solutions and recommending measures to expedite the updating and verification process of the NMR.
Need for a Common National Registration Portal
The NMC Secretary informed members that various State Medical Councils currently use different online and offline systems for doctor registrations, creating difficulties in maintaining real-time synchronisation between State Medical Registers (SMRs) and the National Medical Register.
To address this issue, the Commission highlighted the need for a pan-India common registration portal that would facilitate seamless integration and real-time data synchronisation across states. The proposed committee is expected to examine this aspect in consultation with IT experts and present possible solutions at a future NMC meeting.
Health Activist Raises Concerns Over Slow Progress
The meeting minutes were obtained through a Right to Information (RTI) application filed by Kerala-based health activist Dr. K.V. Babu.
Commenting on the issue, Dr. Babu stated that stakeholders had warned as early as August 2024 that the NMR registration process could face significant implementation challenges. He expressed concern over the limited number of certificates issued despite the passage of nearly two years and stressed the importance of creating a reliable national database of registered medical practitioners.
According to Dr. Babu, an accurate and updated database is crucial not only for regulatory purposes but also for policy decisions, including granting permissions for new medical colleges across the country.
