Do we need to renew the registration or not? in Karnataka!

 What is the present position for Karnataka doctors now?

Based on the information from the amended Karnataka Medical Registration Act, 2024, the present position as of September 26, 2025, is that registered medical practitioners in Karnataka, enrolled by the State Medical Council, must renew their registration numbers every five years through an application to the National Medical Commission. This process no longer requires payment of fees to the State Registrar or participation in continued medical education programs, marking a significant update to the previous 2017 regulations.

The Karnataka Medical Registration Act, 2017, was amended on July 25, 2024, by the Karnataka legislature. The amendment to section 19 replaces the previous renewal process with a new system where registered medical practitioners enrolled by the State Medical Council must apply to the National Medical Commission for registration number renewal every five years. The amendment removes the earlier requirement of paying fees to the State Registrar for renewal and eliminates the provision for continued medical education programs. This change is celebrated as a significant victory after a decade-long fight for justice.

Current NMC Rules on Medical Registration Renewal (as of September 26, 2025)

Under the National Medical Commission (NMC) Act, 2019, and its associated regulations, medical registration for registered medical practitioners (RMPs) is for life and does not require periodic renewal. This means there is no mandatory renewal process every few years, unlike some state-specific implementations. Consequently:

• Fees for Renewal: No fees are required for renewal, as there is no renewal mechanism in the central NMC framework. Initial registration and certain additional qualifications (e.g., Good Standing Certificates or duplicate registrations) may involve application fees, but these are not tied to renewal.
• Continued Medical Education (CME) Credits: CME credits are not mandatory for maintaining or renewing registration. However, CME programs are encouraged voluntarily for professional development. Only accredited institutions or medical societies can award credits, which are tracked online via the NMC's Ethics and Medical Registration Board (EMRB) portal against an RMP's unique registration number. There is no linkage between CME credits and registration validity.

Let me invite the comments&opinions of karnataka doctors...