Every doctor registered with the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) must display an official “Know Your Doctor” (KYD) QR code plate at each place they practise by October 31, the council has said in a statewide reminder reported by Urban Acres and the Marathi outlet Sangli Darpan. A patient scans the plate with a phone to check whether the practitioner holds a valid MMC registration. Doctors who skip it get a warning first, then fines of up to Rs 15,000 for repeat violations.
What the rule asks of doctors
Doctors enrol on the council’s portal, kyd.co.in, with their MMC registration number and an OTP sent to their mobile, and then order a physical plate for the waiting area. A doctor who consults at three places needs three plates. The council has said it will not accept a screenshot on a phone or a paper printout in place of the plate, and hospitals and nursing homes must make sure their visiting consultants comply.
Penalties climb with each violation. A first default brings a warning letter and a short window to fix it. Later defaults draw fines of Rs 5,000 and then Rs 15,000, followed by disciplinary action. The two reports differ on how many warnings come before the first fine, but both put the ceiling at Rs 15,000. Sangli Darpan names MMC administrator Dr Vinky Rughwani as the issuing authority.
Why the council set a deadline
The MMC launched the platform in February 2025 as a voluntary scheme, and few doctors signed up. Four months in, about 10,000 had complied, Dr Rughwani told the Free Press Journal in July 2025. By May this year the count stood at roughly 14,000, against about 1.43 lakh doctors who had renewed their registration, the same paper reported. Fewer than one practising doctor in ten had a plate.
The state government backs the push. In June, Medical Education Minister Hasan Mushrif told the Legislative Assembly the QR system would let people verify a doctor’s credentials. He listed penalties for bogus practice under the Maharashtra Medical Practitioners Act of up to two years in prison, rising to ten years for repeat offenders, as reported at the time. Prosecutions have lagged. The Free Press Journal reported in July 2025 that 391 bogus doctors had been booked since 2021, with two convictions.
What it means for patients
The council has said it will not send inspectors to check clinics. It will act when someone complains. After October 31, the MMC will learn about a missing plate only if a patient reports it. A few practical points:
- Scan before you consult. The code should open the doctor’s MMC registration record. Match the name there with the name on the clinic board and the prescription pad.
- A printout or phone screen does not count. The council has ruled both out, so a sheet of paper taped to the wall falls short.
- The order covers MMC registrants. Ayurveda, Unani, homoeopathy and dental practitioners register with separate state councils. The reports do not say whether those councils have issued similar orders, so an AYUSH or dental clinic without an MMC plate may be within the rules.
- Until November, a missing plate proves little. With roughly nine in ten doctors unenrolled as of May, many legitimate clinics will get their plates close to the deadline.
What to watch
More than a lakh doctors have seven weeks to enrol and get plates made. Two numbers will show whether the plan works: the enrolment figure the MMC reports after October 31, and the count of complaints it acts on. The reports do not say how patients should file a complaint about a missing plate. Without a simple route for that, the fines may never get used.
Sources: Urban Acres, Sangli Darpan, Free Press Journal, NewKerala
This report was compiled and written with AI assistance from publicly reported sources, and reviewed for accuracy.