TCMC and the Kerala State Medical Councils: Registration, Renewal and Good Standing

TCMC, the Travancore Cochin Medical Council, is the name most doctors in Kerala still use. The body today is the Kerala State Medical Councils, set up under a 2021 Act. This guide explains the change, the services on the council's portal, renewal and what doctors going abroad need.

For the good standing and registration work we handle, see our TCMC page.

From TCMC to the Kerala State Medical Councils

The Kerala State Medical Practitioners Act, 2021 replaced the Travancore Cochin Medical Practitioners Act of 1953. The council's site describes the Kerala State Medical Council as the successor body of the former Travancore Cochin Medical Councils.

There are three councils under it:

• the Council of Modern Medicine, for MBBS doctors and specialists;
• the Council of Indian Systems of Medicine;
• the Council of Homoeopathic Medicine.

If a form abroad asks for the council's name, tell us the name on your certificate and we check it with you.

Services on the council's portal

The council lists these services on its online portal:

• Provisional registration and permanent registration
• Additional qualification
• Updation and renewal
• Duplicate of the permanent registration
• Change of name or address
• Provisional NOC and No Objection Certificate
• Good standing

Renewal every ten years

The 2021 Act says every practitioner renews the registration every ten years, as the rules set out. The council has published a notice collecting data ahead of the forthcoming renewal: keep your details on the portal matching your registration documents.

The renewal steps, documents and any CME requirement were not readable on the council's site when we wrote this guide. Ask us for your case.

Good standing and NOC for working abroad

Doctors going to the Gulf, the UK, Ireland or Australia are usually asked for a good standing certificate from the council where they are registered. A NOC is asked for when you register with another council. Both are on the council's list of services.

Going to the Gulf? Your good standing certificate usually goes with your Dataflow verification and the licensing exam. See good standing for the UAE and Dataflow for doctors in the UAE.

Contacting the council

The Kerala State Medical Councils are at the Combined Council Building, Red Cross Road, Thiruvananthapuram 695 035; mail registrar.ksmc@kerala.gov.in. When we read the site on 13 Oct 2026, it said its BSNL phone lines were unavailable until further notice and asked people to write or visit in person.

Frequently asked questions

Is TCMC the same as the Kerala State Medical Council?

Yes. The Kerala State Medical Councils are the successor of the former Travancore Cochin Medical Councils, under the Kerala State Medical Practitioners Act, 2021.

Which council registers MBBS doctors in Kerala?

The Council of Modern Medicine, one of the three Kerala State Medical Councils.

How often do doctors renew their Kerala medical registration?

The 2021 Act says every ten years, as the rules set out.

Can I get a TCMC good standing certificate from abroad?

Yes. Good standing is one of the council's services, and we handle it for doctors who are abroad.

How do I contact the Kerala Medical Council?

By mail at registrar.ksmc@kerala.gov.in, or at the Combined Council Building, Red Cross Road, Thiruvananthapuram. The site said its phone lines were down when we checked.