– Ronita Torcato 

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has notified 33 new and 21 updated Allied and Healthcare Undergraduate (UG) and Postgraduate (PG) degrees under the purview of the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP).

Issued under the aegis of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the notification seeks to standardise course duration, degree nomenclature and entry qualifications under the ‘One Nation, One Curriculum’ framework.

The UGC issued the 5th Amendment to the Specification of Degrees under Section 22(3) of the UGC Act, 1956 through a notification published on August 31, 2026.

The notification aims to bring greater uniformity in Allied and Healthcare education across the country and strengthen academic and professional pathways in critical healthcare disciplines.

The degrees notified cover Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Optometry, Medical Laboratory Sciences, Emergency Medical Technology, Anaesthesia and Operation Theatre Technology, Nutrition and Dietetics, Psychology, Medical and Social Psychiatric Work, Radiology, Imaging, Therapeutic, Respiratory and Dialysis Therapy Technology and Health Information Management, among others.

Dr. Yagna Unmesh Shukla, chairperson, NCAHP said, “The UGC notification will provide guidance to students who are aiming to pursue their career in Allied and Healthcare Professions under the NCAHP Act, 2021.”

The notification specifies the degree nomenclature, abbreviation, duration and entry qualifications, while course durations have also been revised for select programmes.

The notification further provides for specialisation-specific degrees, with nine specialisations in Master of Occupational Therapy, eight in Master of Physiotherapy, four in Master of Medical Laboratory Sciences, three in Master of Medical Radiology and Imaging Technology and two in Master of Respiratory Technology.

This will expand opportunities for students and enable universities to offer specialised programs aligned with the needs of the healthcare sector.

The initiative fulfils the statutory mandate of the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions Act, 2021, which provides for the regulation of standards of education and professional services.

In line with this mandate, NCAHP released 18 competency-based curricula covering 28 professions, with the objective of standardising curricula and degrees across the country.

The curricula emphasises hands-on training through internships at hospitals or associated facilities. This approach seeks to ensure that students develop the practical skills and clinical exposure required for effective healthcare delivery.

To ensure adoption of the reforms, NCAHP issued directives to all the states, union territories and other stakeholders before the commencement of the academic year to mandatorily implement the curricula from 2026-27, with an option to commence the Diploma in Medical Laboratory Technology (DMLT) course.

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