The central government is proposing new rules that significantly limit state involvement in the curriculum and approval of allied and healthcare science courses. The National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP) aims to centralize control over these programs.
NCAHP Draft Rules Centralize Control
The proposed Autonomous Boards Regulations grant the NCAHP exclusive authority over curriculum framing and the evaluation of educational institutions. State-level autonomous boards will be established under the NCAHP. Their primary role will be to implement common syllabi and recognize institutions. This move aims to ensure uniformity across states.
Reduced State Authority
While the NCAHP Act 2021 envisioned policy-making and compliance roles for state bodies, the draft rules curtail these powers. The UG and PG Education Boards will now focus on curriculum implementation , not development. Course approval functions have been removed entirely from the proposed regulations.
Similarly, the Assessment and Rating Boards’ powers are diluted. The draft rules restrict their role to evaluating and verifying institutional applications. Powers like determining evaluation procedures, granting permission for new institutions, and imposing penalties are no longer central to their functions as outlined in the law.
Uniformity and Central Oversight
NCAHP Chairperson Yagna Shukla stated the regulations comply with the Act and are designed to prevent conflicts. She emphasized that central control ensures consistent standards nationwide. The organizational structure mirrors that of the National Medical Commission (NMC), which has four autonomous boards at the central level.
A Central Assessment Board (CAB) is also proposed. This board will serve states and union territories lacking functioning professional councils. The NCAHP aims for these autonomous bodies to be operational before the 2026-27 academic year.
Public Feedback Period
The draft rules are currently open for public feedback. Following this consultation, the regulations will be officially notified. The NCAHP plans to begin the registration of educational institutions once the autonomous bodies are formed.
The NCAHP was established to regularize the allied and healthcare sector. It has already introduced uniform curricula and admission criteria for approximately 15 allied healthcare programs. The commission advocates for phasing out the term ‘paramedical’ in favor of ‘allied and healthcare’.