The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, in collaboration with the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP) launched a competency-based curricula for ten key allied and healthcare professions. The launch event was inaugurated by Union Health Secretary on April 23, 2025, marking a step towards strengthening India’s healthcare delivery system.
The NCAHP, established as a statutory body in India, is responsible for regulating and maintaining standards for the education and services of allied and healthcare professionals, aiming to create a well-equipped and interconnected healthcare workforce. The newly developed curricula are designed to cultivate globally competent professionals capable of addressing the increasing burden of disease and the growing demand for allied health services, aligning with both national and international healthcare needs. The development process involved extensive consultations with experts and stakeholders, incorporating feedback to ensure relevance and rigor, and aligning with the regulatory standards of the NCAHP Act, 2021.
The newly launched curricula will encompass a wide range of essential healthcare roles, including:
- Physiotherapy;
- Applied Psychology and Behavioural Health;
- Optometry;
- Nutrition and Dietetics;
- Dialysis Therapy Technology and Dialysis Therapy;
- Radiotherapy Technology;
- Medical Radiology and Imaging Technology;
- Anaesthesia and Operation Theatre Technology;
- Health Information Management; and
- Physician Associates.
Addressing the gathering, the Union Health Secretary emphasized that “the comprehensive revision and standardization of the curricula represent a pivotal step toward establishing consistency in educational content and delivery.”
Highlighting the global significance of this initiative, she stated, “India is skilling its healthcare professionals not just for India, but for the globe. The curricula launched today will set a benchmark for the quality of healthcare professionals across various faculties.” She further emphasized the crucial role these professions play in “preventive, promotive, curative and rehabilitative healthcare,” adding that this initiative is expected to “significantly enhance the effectiveness of skill-based training, better align educational outcomes with industry needs, and promote greater career mobility and professional recognition for allied health professionals nationwide.”
She also stressed that the success of these curricula hinges on robust support systems, including “adequate institutional preparedness, faculty training, infrastructure development, and continuous monitoring to uphold quality standards.” She announced that digital modules of the curriculum will be crowdsourced to ensure widespread accessibility for capacity building, furthering the vision of a “Swastha Bharat” (Healthy India).
The Chairperson of NCAHP hailed the launch as a crucial step towards realizing the vision of “One Nation, One Curriculum,” ensuring uniformity in allied and healthcare education. She clarified that this is the first phase of the curriculum rollout, with curricula for other professional categories outlined in the NCAHP Act, 2021, to be released soon. She also announced that the new curricula will be mandatorily implemented from 2026 and will be available on the NCAHP website.
The newly introduced handbooks provide clear and consistent guidelines on course content, eligibility criteria, training delivery methods, and institutional infrastructure requirements, aiming to establish a unified national standard for allied and healthcare education.
The core principles underpinning the new curricula are:
- Establishing minimum educational standards for consistent quality nationwide.
- Emphasizing practical application of skills in real-world healthcare settings.
- Fostering clinical expertise alongside communication, teamwork, ethics, and lifelong learning.
- Preparing a skilled workforce in areas like physiotherapy and renal care to support the government’s health goals.
The launch event saw virtual participation from members of State Councils and subject matter experts, highlighting a collective commitment to advancing high-quality education within the allied and healthcare sectors.
