How to verify a doctor’s registration in India

Check an Indian doctor’s medical registration on the National Medical Commission’s Indian Medical Register, and what to do if you cannot find it.

Checklist

By Nikhil Sharma, Founder · Updated · How we write and check

To verify a doctor’s registration in India, search the Indian Medical Register on the National Medical Commission website. You can search by name, registration number, year of registration or State Medical Council. Ask the doctor or hospital for the registration number and council first, because a number gives a far more reliable match than a name alone.

The National Medical Commission (NMC) publishes the Indian Medical Register, a searchable record of doctors registered with State Medical Councils across India. It lets the public check a registration. This guide shows you how to search it and how to read the result. A registration confirms that a doctor is licensed to practise. It does not tell you whether a doctor is the right specialist for your case, which you judge from their training, experience and the plan they propose.

What should you collect before searching?

  • The doctor’s full name exactly as written on their letterhead or the hospital website.
  • Their medical registration number.
  • The State Medical Council that issued the registration.
  • The year of registration, if the doctor or hospital can share it.
  • Their stated qualifications, so you can compare them with the record.

How do you search the Indian Medical Register?

  • Open the Indian Medical Register page on the NMC website, nmc.org.in.
  • Choose a search by registration number where you have it.
  • Select the State Medical Council from the list.
  • Add the year of registration if known and submit.
  • If you only have a name, search by name and narrow by council and year.
  • Open ‘View IMR Details’ for the matching record and print or save it.

What should you check in the result?

  • The name matches the doctor you are dealing with.
  • The registration number matches the number the doctor gave you.
  • The council matches the one the doctor named.
  • The qualifications listed are consistent with what the doctor claims.
  • Check the separate ‘Black List Doctor’ link on the NMC page if you have concerns.

What if you cannot find the doctor?

  • Check spelling, initials and the order of first name and surname.
  • Try searching by registration number alone.
  • Remember the NMC notes that the data is being updated, so a recent registration may be missing.
  • Ask the hospital to send a copy of the registration certificate.
  • Ask IndiaMedica to raise the question with the hospital on your behalf.
  • Do not proceed with treatment until you are satisfied.

Tip: print this page or save it as a PDF from your browser’s print menu.

Where else should a registration number appear?

India’s Telemedicine Practice Guidelines say a doctor consulting by telemedicine must display their registration number on prescriptions, websites, electronic messages and receipts. The guidelines also say the patient should have a way to verify the doctor’s credentials. If a doctor will not share their number, treat that as a warning sign.

Registration is a minimum, not a recommendation

A valid registration means the doctor is licensed. It does not compare doctors. IndiaMedica does not recommend individual doctors. We help you check the facts and put your questions to the treating specialist.

Questions people ask

Does the Indian Medical Register show specialist qualifications?

The register records registration details and may list qualifications, but the level of detail varies by record. For a specialist, also ask the hospital for the doctor’s qualifications, training and experience in your procedure, and compare what they tell you with the register entry.

What if my practitioner is a dentist or an Ayurveda doctor?

The Indian Medical Register lists doctors registered with State Medical Councils. If you are seeing a dentist or a practitioner of Ayurveda or another Ayush system, ask the clinic which council or body registered them, and check the registration with that body directly before you travel.

Sources

General information, not medical or legal advice. Rules change: confirm with the official source. How we write and check.

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