Maharashtra Govt To Mandate QR Codes In Clinics To Curb Bogus Doctors, MMC Pushes Legal Amendment

Mumbai: In a major step to crack down on bogus medical practitioners, the Maharashtra government is set to amend existing laws to make it mandatory for all MBBS doctors in the state to display a QR code in their clinics. The initiative is designed to help patients easily verify the authenticity of their treating doctors.

Mandatory QR Code Display for MBBS Clinics Soon

The Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) is preparing to submit a formal proposal to the state’s medical education department seeking approval for the legal amendment. Once cleared, the regulation will be rolled out across Maharashtra.

Only 10,000 Doctors Complied in 4 Months

The QR code mandate is a continuation of MMC’s earlier “Know Your Doctor” (KYD) campaign, launched to address the growing menace of unregistered and fake doctors. As part of the initiative, all registered doctors were instructed to display a unique QR code linked to their registration credentials. However, compliance has been low—with only about 10,000 doctors following the directive over the past four months.

Satyajit Tambe Flags Fake Doctor Menace in Monsoon Session

The issue received renewed attention during the recent monsoon session of the Maharashtra legislature, when independent MLC Satyajit Tambe raised concerns about the increasing presence of fake medical practitioners across the state.

Responding to these concerns, Medical Education Minister Hasan Mushrif informed the House that a joint committee—comprising representatives from the Indian Medical Council, MMC, and the Public Health Department—is drafting stricter laws to tighten enforcement and increase penalties.

MMC Administrator stated that the broader objective of the KYD platform is not just verification, but also to empower the Council to delist fraudulent practitioners, fast-track disciplinary action, and ensure greater compliance with ethical and legal standards in the medical profession.

Maharashtra May Become First State to Use QR Codes at Scale

If the QR code rule is successfully implemented, Maharashtra will become one of the first states in the country to use digital tools at scale to combat medical quackery.

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391 Fake Doctors Booked Since 2021, Only 2 Convicted

According to MMC data, between 2021 and mid-2025, 391 bogus doctors were booked across Maharashtra. Despite the large number of cases, only two convictions have been secured so far, with charges pending in 17 other cases. To strengthen enforcement, the state has formed district- and taluka-level review committees to monitor and act against illegal medical practice.

Dr. Vinky Rughwani, Administrator of the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC), said that after the issue of fake doctors was raised during the assembly session, the council received the state government's approval to make QR codes mandatory for registered practitioners.

“In February, we launched a voluntary initiative encouraging doctors to display QR codes. However, in the past four months, only around 10,000 doctors have complied,” Rughwani said.

He added that the MMC will soon finalize the proposal and submit it to the state’s medical education department, seeking approval for a legal amendment to make this requirement mandatory.

According to Rughwani, the council regularly receives complaints about fake doctors, which prompted the introduction of the QR code initiative in February 2025.