The email signature reads "Dr. A. Sharma, MS, MCh, FRCS". It looks impressive, and probably is. But what do those letters mean, which of them lets a doctor practise in India, and how would you check? Here is how Indian doctors are trained and registered, in plain words.
The long road: from MBBS to super-specialist
Every doctor in modern medicine in India starts with the MBBS degree: four and a half years of study and a year of compulsory rotating internship. After that comes postgraduate training, usually three years, leading to an MD (medicine-based specialties such as internal medicine or radiology) or an MS (surgical specialties such as orthopaedics or general surgery). The same level can also be reached through the DNB, awarded by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences, often in large private hospitals.
Super-specialists train for about three more years: a DM for fields like cardiology, neurology or oncology, or an MCh for cardiothoracic surgery, neurosurgery, urology and similar. The NBEMS equivalent is the DrNB. So a cardiac surgeon has usually spent well over a decade in training before operating independently.
| MBBS + internship | 5.5 yrs |
|---|---|
| + MD / MS or DNB | 8.5 yrs |
| + DM / MCh or DrNB | 11.5 yrs |
Typical durations under NMC and NBEMS rules; individual paths vary.
Training happens in medical colleges and teaching hospitals regulated by the NMC, and entry to postgraduate seats is by national examination. That is one reason the same specialist titles mean the same thing across states: an MCh in neurosurgery from Chandigarh and one from Chennai follow the same national framework.
Letters from abroad — FRCS, MRCP, a US fellowship — show extra training and exams, and many senior Indian doctors hold them. They add to an Indian registration; they do not replace it.
Registration: the licence that matters
A degree shows training. Registration is the permission to practise. In India, every doctor of modern medicine must be registered with a State Medical Council, and those registrations feed the Indian Medical Register kept under the National Medical Commission (NMC). The NMC replaced the Medical Council of India under the National Medical Commission Act 2019.
The newer National Medical Register, launched in August 2024, is meant to give every doctor one national record linked to their state registration. It is still filling up: ThePrint reported in October 2026 that about 1.66 lakh doctors were on it, against nearly 13.9 lakh registered allopathic doctors, with a unified portal syncing state registers due to be fully commissioned by the end of 2026. Until then, the state council and the Indian Medical Register search remain the practical places to check.
How to check a doctor in five minutes
- Ask for three thingsFull name, registration number, and the council that issued it.
- Search the registerNMC's Indian Medical Register search, or the state medical council's website.
- Match the detailsName, father's name, qualification and year should agree.
- Check the specialtyMD/MS, DM/MCh or DNB/DrNB in the field you need.
- Ask about experienceHow often they do your procedure each year.
- Names repeat. Many doctors share a surname; the registration number is what identifies one person.
- Old records lag. If a search fails, ask the doctor or hospital for a copy of the registration certificate; a genuine doctor will not mind.
- Hospital privileges. Ask whether the doctor operates at the hospital you are considering, and how long they have worked there.
Registration also gives you somewhere to turn. State medical councils hear complaints about professional conduct, and a doctor's registration can be suspended. You will probably never need that — but it is reassuring that the system exists, and it is one more reason never to see a doctor whose registration you cannot find.
Beyond the certificate: experience and fit
Two equally qualified surgeons can differ greatly in how often they do your operation. Volume is not everything, but it matters, especially for complex surgery. Ask how many of your procedure the doctor does in a year, which complications they see most often, and how they manage them. Ask who covers when they are away.
It is also fair to ask about the team around the surgeon: the anaesthetist, the intensive care specialist, the physiotherapist. Good results come from teams, and a surgeon who names colleagues with pride is usually working in a well-run unit.
Then notice how they speak to you. Do they explain the options, including not operating? Do they welcome a second opinion? Our list of questions to ask a doctor helps you prepare.
How we check doctors
Before any doctor's name reaches you, we check their registration and specialty qualification, confirm where they practise, and ask about their experience with your condition. Read the full approach in Trust as a Service, or book a consultation and we will introduce you to a named specialist — with the registration details to check for yourself.
Independent research. Figures are quoted from the official and published sources listed below, as they stood when we checked them (October 2026). BookMedTrip is an independent facilitator and is not affiliated with any government body, hospital, charity or organisation named here, and receives no commission from them. If anything here is out of date or inaccurate, please write to care@bookmedtrip.com and we will correct it.
सवाल
How can I check if a doctor in India is registered?
Ask for the doctor's registration number and issuing council, then search the NMC's Indian Medical Register or the state medical council website. The name and qualifications should match.
What is the difference between MS, MCh and DNB?
MS is a three-year postgraduate surgical degree; MCh is a further super-speciality surgical degree. DNB and DrNB are equivalent qualifications awarded by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences.
What is the National Medical Register?
A national database of doctors launched by the NMC in August 2024, linked to state registrations. It is still being populated, so state councils and the Indian Medical Register remain useful for checks.
स्रोत
- ThePrint — Pan-India portal for doctors' registration; 1.66 lakh registered on NMR so far (2 October 2026)
- National Medical Commission — Indian Medical Register (search)
- Careers360 — NMC caps MBBS fees at 4.5 years academic duration; internship separate
- Wikipedia — Diplomate of National Board (checked October 2026)
