The health ministry recently told Parliament that the National Medical Commision (NMC) data shows there are 13,86,157 registered doctors in India, a number that is almost identical to the 13,86,136 it cited in the Lok Sabha in Aug last year. So, how could India have added just 21 doctors over the past year despite about 80,000 graduating in that period? Cross-checking the state-wise NMC data given last year with the state councils' rolls shows a glaring mismatch. Delhi had less than 31,500 doctors in NMC data, whereas state council data for 2020 showed more than 72,600. How did more than 40,000 doctors go missing in NMC's data for the city? Last year, NMC submitted that Kerala Medical Council has over 73,000 doctors registered with it. However, a Kerala council member told TOI the nu

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