India, despite producing approximately 80,000 medical graduates annually, witnessed a net increase of only 21 allopathic doctors in the National Medical Commission (NMC) database in the past year, raising concerns about the registration and distribution of medical professionals in the country.

Discrepancy in Numbers

As of November 2024, the National Medical Commission (NMC) reported approximately 13.86 lakh registered allopathic doctors. However, the recent data indicating a mere 21 new registered doctors against the backdrop of tens of thousands of graduates has sparked debate about the accuracy of the registry and the factors influencing doctors' registration. The National Medical Register (NMR) was launched with the aim to create an authentic, centralized database of all allopathic doctors in the country. However, registrations have been slow, with less than 1% of India's doctors enrolled as of May 2025. The NMC aims to speed up registrations through better coordination with State Medical Councils and the use of AI and IT tools.

Doctor-Population Ratio

While India's doctor-population ratio of 1:836 is better than the WHO's recommended ratio of 1:1,000, the distribution of doctors remains uneven. A significant number of doctors are concentrated in urban areas, leaving rural regions underserved. The density of physicians in rural areas is just 3 per 10,000 people, compared to 13 per 10,000 in urban areas.

Reasons for Low Registration Numbers

Several factors may contribute to the low registration numbers: * Voluntary Registration: Registration on the National Medical Register (NMR) is currently voluntary. * Migration: Many Indian-trained doctors migrate abroad each year. * Preference for Specialization: Fewer doctors are choosing general practice, leading to a shortage of primary care physicians. * Data Lag: It is possible that there is a delay in updating the NMC database.

Government Initiatives

The government has taken several steps to address the shortage of doctors and improve healthcare access:

• Increasing Medical Seats: The government has increased the number of medical colleges and seats. MBBS seats have grown by 130% since 2014, and postgraduate seats have increased by 135%. The Union Budget 2025 announced the addition of 10,000 new medical seats.
• Rural Healthcare Initiatives: The government is encouraging doctors to practice in rural areas through initiatives like the Family Adoption Programme and the District Residency Programme.
• National Medical Register (NMR): The NMR aims to create a centralized database of doctors and eliminate duplication.

Challenges and Way Forward

Despite these efforts, challenges remain:

• Regional Disparities: Ensuring the effective distribution of doctors to rural regions remains a major challenge.
• Retention of Doctors: Improving working conditions, salaries, and career growth opportunities in underserved regions is crucial to retain doctors.
• Infrastructure: Addressing infrastructure challenges in rural areas is essential to attract and retain doctors.

To address these challenges, experts suggest focusing on:

• Incentivizing Rural Practice: Providing financial and other incentives to encourage doctors to practice in rural areas.
• Improving Infrastructure: Investing in healthcare infrastructure in rural areas.
• Promoting General Practice: Encouraging medical graduates to pursue general practice.
• Addressing Faculty Shortages: Staffing the massive expansion of medical education and tackling infrastructure.

While India is producing a large number of medical graduates, ensuring their registration, equitable distribution, and retention, especially in rural areas, remains a critical challenge. Addressing these issues is crucial to achieving the goal of accessible and quality healthcare for all.