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New rules mandate registration for allied healthcare professionals
The National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP) has notified the Registration of Allied and Healthcare Professionals Regulations, 2026, making it mandatory for professionals in 57 vocations across 10 disciplines to…
The National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP) has notified the Registration of Allied and Healthcare Professionals Regulations, 2026, making it mandatory for professionals in 57 vocations across 10 disciplines to register in State and Central registers. The regulations were published in the Gazette of India on September 15, 2026.
Practising without a Unique Identification (UID) number will attract a penalty of six months to two years in jail under the NCAHP Act-21. Professionals will receive digital certificates with a QR code, and the public can verify registration status on Commission and State Council websites.
The regulations allow professionals to register in one state and practise in another by simply informing the resident state. A pathway is also established for Indian citizens with foreign qualifications, subject to recognition by the Commission or credential equivalency evaluation.
Indian Opinion Analysis
Before these regulations, allied and healthcare professionals in India had no centralised registration, making it hard to distinguish qualified practitioners from unqualified ones. The NCAHP Act-21, which created the Commission, was passed to fill this gap. The move now brings physiotherapists, dietitians, lab technologists, and others under the same kind of statutory oversight that doctors have under the National Medical Commission. The key number to watch is how many of the estimated several lakh allied professionals actually register in the first year, as the penalty provisions take effect. The Commission must also ensure State Councils are functional across all states, or the central register will remain the only option for many professionals.
Source: thehindu.com
This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
