NMR meaning: the National Medical Register What the NMC Act says, who must register on the portal, and how it sits beside your state council.

The NMR (National Medical Register) is the national register of licensed medical practitioners that the National Medical Commission's Ethics and Medical Registration Board keeps under section 31 of the NMC Act, 2019. The Act defines "National Register" as "a National Medical Register maintained by the Ethics and Medical Registration Board under section 31". In practice, NMR also names the online portal where MBBS doctors register and receive an NMR ID.

What does the NMC Act say about the National Medical Register?

It says the register must exist, be electronic, be public and stay in step with state registers. Section 31 of the NMC Act, 2019 provides that:

• The register contains "the name, address, all recognised qualifications possessed by a licensed medical practitioner" and other particulars set by regulations (s. 31(1)).
• It is kept "in such form, including electronic form" as regulations specify (s. 31(2)).
• It is "a public document" under section 74 of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872, and is placed on the Board's website (s. 31(4), (5)).
• Every State Medical Council keeps its State Register in electronic form, and the Board must ensure "electronic synchronisation of the National Register and the State Register" (s. 31(6), (7)).

Section 34 adds the consequence: no one other than a person enrolled in the State Register or the National Register may practise medicine as a qualified medical practitioner or sign a medical or fitness certificate required by law.

Who has to register on the NMR portal?

MBBS doctors eligible to practise in India. The Union Health Minister launched the NMR portal on 23 August 2024 "for registration of all the MBBS doctors who are eligible for registration in India", PIB reported. The same release says: "All the MBBS doctors who are already registered on the Indian Medical Register (IMR) have to register again on the NMR of the NMC." To start, a doctor needs a digital copy of the MBBS degree certificate, the registration certificate of the State Medical Council or Medical Council of India where first registered, and an Aadhaar number. The portal is at nmr-nmc.abdm.gov.in.

How is an NMR application verified?

By the state council first, then the NMC. PIB describes the flow: the application "is automatically forwarded to the respective State Medical Council for verification", the council may send it to the college or institute, it then goes to the NMC, and "After the NMC verification, a unique NMR ID would be issued." The portal can also add qualifications, track applications and issue NMR ID cards and digital doctor certificates.

How is the NMR different from state council registration and HPR?

Each is a separate record. Your State Medical Council keeps the State Register, which the Act requires to stay synchronised with the NMR; renewal of state registration is covered in our post on medical council registration renewal. ABDM's Healthcare Professionals Registry is a voluntary digital registry; PIB says that during NMR registration "doctors can opt to join the Healthcare Provider Registry". See HFR and HPR and the list of state medical councils.

What does the NMR mean for a doctor running a small clinic?

For an MBBS doctor running a single-doctor OPD it is one more registration to complete and keep in the clinic file, beside the state council certificate. PIB says some NMR data will be visible to the public and the rest only to the NMC, state councils, the National Board of Examinations, medical institutions and registered doctors as required. For opening a practice, see can an MBBS doctor open a clinic.