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NCAHP notifies autonomous boards, central assessment committee for allied health

By CAShorts DeskPublished Source: PIB (Ministry of Health and Family Welfare), 7 October 2026

NCAHP notifies autonomous boards, central assessment committee for allied health
Illustration (AI-generated)

The National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP) said on 7 October 2026 it had notified regulations setting up Autonomous Boards of 10 to 20 members under State Allied and Healthcare Councils. A Central Assessment Committee will do their work where no State Council functions. Registration rules gazetted on 15 September give professionals Unique Identification numbers.

Syllabus: Prelims · Polity & Governance; GS2 · Statutory & Regulatory Bodies; GS2 · Health, Education & Human Resources

Why it matters

A patient sent for an X-ray, a CT scan or physiotherapy is usually treated by an allied professional, not a doctor. Once registers go public, that patient or a hospital can check the technician's registration through a QR-coded certificate, and an unregistered person cannot legally practise. A radiology student gets one national syllabus with a six-month internship and free interim registration while training. Colleges in States without a working council will still be inspected and rated, because the Central Assessment Committee steps in. The larger issue is a large health workforce that had no national regulator until the 2021 Act: better standards here decide how safely work can be shared between doctors and allied staff.

Prelims pointers

  • NCAHP Act, 2021 (Act No. 14 of 2021): Presidential assent on 28 March 2021; regulates education and practice of allied and healthcare professionals.
  • Schedule to the NCAHP Act: 10 recognised categories, such as Physiotherapy, Ophthalmic Sciences, and Medical Radiology, Imaging and Therapeutic Technology; the Centre may amend it after consulting the Commission.
  • Professional Council: constituted by the Commission for every recognised category (Section 10).
  • State Allied and Healthcare Council: every State must constitute one within six months of the Act's commencement; it constitutes the four Autonomous Boards (Section 29).
  • Central Register: kept online by the Commission; State Registers kept by State Councils; both are public documents.
  • Allied health professional: diploma or degree of at least 2,000 hours over two to four years; healthcare professional: degree of at least 3,600 hours over three to six years.
  • National Allied and Healthcare Advisory Council: set up by the Central Government to advise the Commission; chaired by the Commission's Chairperson.
  • National Medical Commission Act, 2019: four boards (UGMEB, PGMEB, MARB, EMRB) constituted by the Centre under NMC; repealed the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956 from 25 September 2020.

Practise a UPSC-style question

With reference to the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions Act, 2021, consider the following statements:

1. The Professional Council for each recognised category of professions is constituted by the State Allied and Healthcare Council.

2. Every State Government must constitute a State Allied and Healthcare Council within six months of the Act's commencement.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. (a) 1 only
  2. (b) 2 only
  3. (c) Both 1 and 2
  4. (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Show the answer

Answer: (b) 2 only

1 is incorrect: Professional Councils, one for every recognised category, are constituted by the national Commission under Section 10, not by the State Councils. 2 is correct: Section 22 requires each State Government to constitute a State Allied and Healthcare Council within six months of commencement.

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