The National Medical Commission (NMC) has made Ayushman Bharat Health Accounts (ABHA) IDs mandatory for all medical colleges in India. The move aims to enhance patient access to digital health records and provide a more accurate assessment of the number of patients treated by medical institutions. Starting from the academic year 2025-26, decisions regarding medical college assessments and recognition will rely on the registration of patients through ABHA IDs. The creation of ABHA IDs will also help address the issue of ‘ghost patients’ and improve transparency in the healthcare system.