DoTM Moves to Recognize All NMC-Registered Doctors for Driving License Health Checks, Aiming to Dismantle Syndicates

KATHMANDU, July 20 — The Department of Transport Management (DoTM), operating under the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport, has issued a directive to line ministries across all seven provinces urging them to formally recognize medical certificates issued by any doctor licensed and registered with the Nepal Medical Council (NMC) during driving license applications.

The circular, issued by the department’s Vehicle Monitoring, Standards Formulation, and Driver Management Branch, stems from a high-level ministerial decision aimed at reforming the driver licensing health check process.

Under the existing mechanism, service seekers face severe procedural hurdles, including long queues, inflated costs, and systemic exploitation caused by localized syndicates and organized groups monopolizing health evaluations. By expanding medical validation to all NMC-certified medical professionals, authorities aim to streamline the process, enforce transparency, and eliminate middleman syndicates.

Officials anticipate that opening medical assessments to all recognized doctors will render the health checkup system significantly more organized, dignified, and accessible for license applicants.

In line with the directive, the DoTM dispatched a formal letter to the Nepal Medical Council on July 17 requesting an updated roster and verified details of all active, council-registered medical practitioners to integrate into their system.