India's allied healthcare workforce is set to get a formal national registration system. The National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP), under the Union Health Ministry, on Wednesday, November 11 proposed a comprehensive framework for the provisional registration of eligible allied and healthcare professionals, with defined pathways for skill upgradation, competency assessment and transition to regular registration.

Source: ANI via Daily Prabhat

The proposal is contained in the Draft Provisional Registration of Allied and Healthcare Professionals Regulations, 2026, framed under the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions Act, 2021. The commission has invited public and stakeholder comments on the draft by December 4, 2026.

Source: Press Information Bureau via LearnThruPractice

According to the commission, the framework lays down prescribed eligibility criteria, verification of credentials and clearly defined registration procedures, so that professional recognition is aligned with statutory requirements and competency standards. It aims to bring greater uniformity, transparency and accountability to a sector that has long operated without a standardised national registration framework.

Source: Nation Press

Bridge courses and a unique ID for every professional

Eligible provisionally registered professionals will be able to undertake prescribed bridge courses, supervised clinical training and minimum qualifying examinations, wherever applicable, to meet the requirements for regular registration. The draft also envisages an integrated online registration system to streamline application submission, credential verification and eligibility assessment, and every provisionally registered professional will receive a Provisional Registration Unique Identification Number (PR UID).

Source: BizzBuzz

The draft regulations are available on the commission's website, and comments, suggestions and objections can be sent by professionals, associations, educational institutions, state allied and healthcare councils, healthcare institutions, experts and the general public by December 4. The regulations will be finalised after the comments are considered.