How to verify an ADHD practitioner's credentials in India
Check any Indian ADHD practitioner in five minutes. NMC and state council registers for doctors, the RCI register for clinical psychologists.
Last reviewed: 6 Aug 2026
Why bother checking
ADHD is everywhere online right now, demand for assessment has exploded, and in India the word “psychologist” has no legal protection. That mix attracts excellent clinicians and confident frauds in similar packaging.
The fix costs you five minutes. The real credentials are public and free to check. Here’s exactly how.
Three registers cover everyone
Doctors (psychiatrists, paediatricians): the medical councils. Every doctor practising in India must be on the National Medical Commission’s Indian Medical Register or a state register. For Pune that’s usually the Maharashtra Medical Council. Both have public search pages. For a psychiatrist, the entry should also show a psychiatry postgraduate degree: MD Psychiatry, DPM, or DNB Psychiatry.
Clinical psychologists: the RCI. The Rehabilitation Council of India is the statutory licensing body. Registration requires an accredited MPhil-level clinical training, and registered people appear on the Central Rehabilitation Register with a number. You’ll see the format on our profiles, like “RCI A93941”. An MA in psychology without RCI registration does not make someone a clinical psychologist.
“Therapists”, “counsellors”, “coaches”: no register exists. The title tells you nothing either way. Many counsellors have serious training. Ask what the actual qualification is, then verify that.
The five-minute check
- Ask for the registration number. Anyone expecting your trust with a diagnosis should hand this over without friction.
- Search the right register. Doctors: NMC’s Indian Medical Register or the Maharashtra Medical Council search. Psychologists: the RCI’s Central Rehabilitation Register.
- Match the name and the degree. The entry should match the name on the clinic door. For psychiatrists, look for the psychiatry PG degree.
- Match the claim to the credential. A psychologist offering to “adjust your medication” is out of bounds; prescribing is a doctor’s job. A GP offering “full psychometric assessment” earns the same scepticism in the other direction.
- Screenshot the entry. Registers go down and get reorganised. A dated screenshot is free insurance.
Red flags
None of these alone proves bad faith. Two or three together, plus a missing register entry, is your answer.
- Qualification lists made entirely of short certificate courses
- “ADHD specialist” with no registrable credential underneath
- Guaranteed diagnoses, guaranteed cures
- Pressure to prepay a long package before any assessment
- Reluctance to share a registration number
Where TruADHD fits
Every provider in our directory went through these same register checks before listing. Registration confirmed, ADHD practice evidenced, contact details tested, verification date printed on the profile. The methodology page documents it all, including how to report a listing that’s gone stale.
Our check is a head start, not a substitute for your own eyes. The registers stay public and free. Use them.
Frequently asked questions
Is 'psychologist' a protected title in India?
No. Anyone can print 'psychologist' or 'therapist' on a card. The regulated title is clinical psychologist registered with the Rehabilitation Council of India, which requires an accredited MPhil-level clinical training. Ask for the RCI number.
What if a practitioner won't share their registration number?
Walk away, or at least dig deeper. Registration numbers are public by design. Doctors are searchable on council registers and RCI numbers are on the Central Rehabilitation Register. A qualified person has nothing to hide here.
Does a foreign degree or certificate mean someone can practise in India?
Not on its own. A doctor needs NMC or state council registration to practise in India, wherever they trained. Clinical psychology needs RCI registration. A certificate from a short course, Indian or foreign, is not a licence.
How does TruADHD's verification relate to doing my own check?
We check the same public registers before listing anyone, and each profile shows the registration and the date we checked it. You can and should still look for yourself. The registers are public precisely so patients can use them.
Sources & verification
Claims in this guide trace to the primary sources below. Spotted something out of date? Report a correction.
- National Medical Commission, Indian Medical Register · National Medical Commission
- Maharashtra Medical Council, registered practitioner search · Maharashtra Medical Council
- Rehabilitation Council of India, Central Rehabilitation Register · Rehabilitation Council of India
- How TruADHD verifies providers · TruADHD