West Bengal Orders Re-Verification of 1.1 Lakh Doctors Registered Since 1996 Over Fake Degrees

KOLKATA — The West Bengal government will re-examine the qualifications of 1.1 lakh doctors registered with the West Bengal Medical Council since 1996 following allegations that practitioners obtained licences using forged credentials. State Health Minister Sharadwat Mukherjee confirmed the sweeping audit, warning that fraudulent practitioners had compromised official medical registries.

Nearly three decades of medical certifications face scrutiny.

To vet the 1.1 lakh files, the health department will introduce a "Know Your Doctor" (KYD) protocol modeled after commercial Know Your Customer screening. An external agency will run the entire exercise to cross-check certificates issued by medical colleges and universities across the country.

"A large number of fake doctors have been identified in our registration records," Mukherjee stated. "We will re-examine the credentials of all such individuals. The 1.1 lakh certificates issued to doctors by various universities will undergo a fresh verification process."

Video Screenings and Third-Party AuditsUnder the proposed blueprint, practitioners must present original medical diplomas and registration paperwork to the designated third-party auditing agency. To prevent disruptions in hospital wards, the state will accommodate elderly physicians and doctors stationed in remote districts through digital channels. Doctors unable to travel will complete document authentication through live video-conferencing sessions. Mukherjee insisted the administrative review will spare legitimate clinicians from procedural harassment while expelling unqualified practitioners from the healthcare system.

Political Clashes Over Medical LicensingThe announcement ignited a political storm in the state. Bengal BJP chief Samik Bhattacharya attacked the Trinamool leadership for administrative failures during its tenure, referencing Trinamool MP Abhishek Banerjee and his parliamentary seat. "What has happened in the state once ruled by Trinamool, perhaps nothing like this has happened in any other state of India," Bhattacharya said. "It's the Diamond Harbour party's diamond model."

Trinamool MP Saugata Roy pushed back against the health minister's claims, dismissing the rationale of subjecting certified doctors to an intensive audit. Roy compared the exercise to controversial electoral roll purges. "I don't know what they are talking about," Roy said. "I don't even know Sharadwat Mukherjee, nor do I know anything about him. I have no idea what he's saying. It has never happened that a doctor undergoes SIR."

The West Bengal health department will publish an official gazette notification detailing audit timelines, agency terms, and regional verification schedules in the coming days.