Press Release Overview
On July 22, 2026, Dr. Anshu Kataria, President of the Federation of Self‑Financing Technical Institutions (FSFTI) and the Punjab Unaided Colleges Association (PUCA) and Chairman of Aryans Group of Colleges, addressed the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP) urging the uniform implementation of the newly notified regulations governing paramedical and allied healthcare education throughout India.
Uniform Implementation Request
The association emphasized that the new rules for paramedical and allied health courses must be applied consistently across all states. They noted that State Allied and Healthcare Councils have not yet been constituted in ten states and requested the Commission to establish these state‑level councils so that the entire country falls under a single regulatory framework.
Intake Data Transparency
Dr. Kataria called for the sanctioned intake of all private universities, deemed universities, and affiliated colleges to be uploaded on the NCAHP portal before the norms take effect. He further asked that the approved intake figures for the academic session 2026 be posted, enabling prospective students to verify the sanctioned seats of every college and university prior to admission.
Land Norm Discrepancies
The press release highlighted a disparity in land‑area requirements for Bachelor of Physiotherapy (BPT) institutions: the Commission initially prescribed a 10‑acre requirement, later reduced to 5 acres, while the state of Maharashtra follows a 2‑acre norm. The association urged the Commission to adopt and enforce a single, uniform land policy nationwide.
NEET Eligibility Ambiguity
Dr. Rev K. V. K. Rao, General Secretary of FSFTI, explained that the Commission first made the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) mandatory for all paramedical courses, then limited the requirement to only three to four courses, and subsequently deferred the provision altogether. This sequence, he said, has created confusion among lakhs of students across India.
Affiliation Issues at IKG‑PTU
Advocate Amit Sharma, Senior Vice President of PUCA, pointed out that I.K. Gujral Punjab Technical University (IKG‑PTU) has not granted affiliation to any college in Punjab and is awaiting directions from the University Grants Commission (UGC). He requested the National Commission to ensure that the norms are implemented uniformly across the country through the UGC for all allied colleges.
Sector Scale and Importance
S. Manjit Singh, Patron of PUCA, stated that allied healthcare is one of India’s fastest‑growing sectors, with over 2,500 institutions offering more than 200,000 seats annually, thereby playing a crucial role in strengthening the nation’s healthcare delivery system.
Call for Policy Stability
HPS Kanda, Executive Member of PUCA, underscored that transparent regulations and policy stability are essential to protect the interests of students, institutions, and universities while ensuring quality allied healthcare education nationwide.
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