The National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professionals (NCAHP) on November 3 released the Draft Provisional Registration of Allied and Healthcare Professionals Regulations, 2026. The draft sets out eligibility requirements and aims to establish a uniform, transparent procedure for granting provisional registration to people practising allied and healthcare professions recognised under the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions Act, 2021.
The proposal aims to bring greater uniformity, transparency and accountability to professional registration while creating structured opportunities for eligible practitioners to enhance their qualifications and competencies in line with prescribed standards.
The draft proposes that only those who are registered with the Centre for Allied and Healthcare Professionals can practice. This is to ensure patient safety and regulate the services spread across India. Those who are not enrolled with the central register, but are practicing, will now have to get a provisional registration. But this will require them to upgrade their skills, meet the educational qualification criteria proposed by the NCAHP to get central or state registration to practice. If they fail to meet the required skillset, then they will not be able to practice any more in India.
NCAHP Act covers 57 allied and healthcare professions categorised under 10 broad categories. They include: biotechnologist, biochemist, cell geneticist, microbiologist, molecular biologist, molecular geneticist, burn care technologist, advanced care paramedic, physiotherapist, operation theatre technologists, dietician, nutritionist, medical physicist, nuclear medicine technologist, social workers, psychiatric social worker, HIV counsellors, etc.
The applicant needs a minimum educational qualification of matriculation or equivalent and must have subsequently obtained the relevant qualification for the respective recognised profession and engaged in providing services in the profession. The person should reside in the state where they intend to register. Most importantly, the regulation says that no application for provisional registration will be accepted after two years from the date these regulations commence.
The proposed application fee is `2,000, while an appeal against rejection costs is `5,000. If a person needs to extend the provisional registration for a year, then that would cost `1,000.
An eligible practising professional has to submit an application form, PR-1, to the concerned State Council, where he resides, for the grant of provisional registration, along with a non-refundable application fee of `2,000 payable in favour of the Secretary to the State Council.
The State Council will forward the application, along with all attached information and documents, to the relevant autonomous board for verification. The State Council or autonomous board will verify the application form and all attached information and documents, and conduct any background checks and validations to confirm the applicant’s eligibility.
The State Council or autonomous board may return the application form to the applicant to correct any discrepancies within 60 days from the date of issuance of the acknowledgement by the Council.
The applicant has to resubmit the updated form within 15 days. After verifying the application, the State Council will issue a certificate of provisional registration through Form PR-2 along with a provisional registration unique identification number (PR UID).
If the State Council rejects an application, it must issue a written order to the applicant. However, rejection can occur only after the applicant has been given a chance to explain their position.
A PR UID number will be issued through a centralised portal to each provisionally registered allied and healthcare professional. It may contain a country code, state abbreviation, professional category number, year of registration, and a unique number.
The applicant may appeal to the Commission against the order issued by the State Council within one month of the rejection. If the appeal is allowed and the Commission decides in favour of the appellant, it will issue an order to the State Council to grant a certificate of provisional registration. If the appeal is rejected or found not substantial, the Commission will issue a written order rejecting it. The process of appeal shall be completed within 90 working days from receipt of the appeal. The Commission’s final order will be binding on the State Council
It will be valid for three years from the date of its issuance. But an applicant can apply for a year-long extension. The draft makes it clear that the provisional registration is only for four years.
For extension, an applicant must fill Form PR-3 and submit it to the concerned State Council along with a processing fee of 1,000. The applicant must specify the reasons for the extension. The State Council will either grant a year-long extension or reject the extension application citing relevant reasons. The applicant will get another 15 days if his application for extension is rejected.
The State Council can terminate a certificate of provisional registration if it is given in error or on account of misrepresentation or suppression of a material fact; or the applicant is convicted of an offence involving moral turpitude and punishable with imprisonment or has been guilty of any infamous conduct in any professional respect; or has violated the standards of professional conduct and etiquette or the code of ethics.
In such cases, the State Council can render the applicant unfit to keep the registration active. However, the provisional registration can be terminated only through a reasoned written order, after allowing the professional to be heard. The applicant can also appeal to the Commission again within 30 days of a termination order passed by the State Council.
A provisionally registered professional will be considered eligible to be registered in the State Register or Central Register if he has completed the relevant bridge course from a recognised allied and healthcare institution along with necessary supervised clinical hours as specified in the curriculum of such bridge course; and qualified in the relevant qualifying examination as the case may be specified by the Commission.
According to Prof (Dr) Denny John, Senior Fellow, Institute of Health Economics, Epidemiology & Translational Sciences (IHEETS), Kerala, “Professionals should not lose their ability to practise because approved bridge-course seats, supervised training, or examinations are unavailable within the prescribed timelines.” Prof John, who has qualifications in physiotherapy, epidemiology, and health economics, also said that for a working professional, regular-mode training can also mean travel, accommodation and lost earnings. The proposal should also assess these costs and consider subsidised training, employer-supported study leave and geographically accessible courses.
The Commission and the State Council will receive applications through a dedicated online portal, the link to which is available on the official websites of the Commission and the State Council.
The NCAHP has sought objections, suggestions/comments on the draft regulations within 30 days of the publication of the Notice or by December 4.
