Govt Unveils Standardized Curricula to Transform Allied Health Education

Dr. Yagna Shukla, in her remarks, highlighted that the launch is part of the broader vision enshrined in the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP) Act, 2021.

In a transformative step towards elevating the quality and consistency of allied and healthcare education across India, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), in partnership with the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP), has officially launched competency-based curricula for ten key allied and healthcare professions. The strategic initiative was inaugurated today by Union Health Secretary Smt. Punya Salila Srivastava, marking a pivotal moment in India's pursuit of global excellence in health education and workforce development.

The event also witnessed the presence of Ms. Hekali Zhimomi, Additional Secretary, MoHFW, and Dr. Yagna Unmesh Shukla, Chairperson of NCAHP, alongside numerous dignitaries, subject matter experts, and representatives from state councils, participating both in person and virtually.

Professions Covered Under the New Curricula

The newly developed competency-based curricula cover a wide array of professions that play a vital role in the continuum of healthcare services, 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

• Physician Associates

These professions are crucial to providing preventive, promotive, curative, and rehabilitative care and form the backbone of the broader health ecosystem.

Standardization and Quality Enhancement at the Core

In her address, Smt. Srivastava emphasized that this initiative is designed to address disparities in education quality and ensure that all allied and healthcare professionals receive training based on standardized content and competencies. She underscored that this approach represents a major leap toward achieving consistency and excellence in healthcare education.

She noted, “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.”

Key Pillars of the Curricula

The development of these curricula is grounded in the following guiding principles:

• Standardization: Establishing national benchmarks for educational content, institutional readiness, and graduate competencies.

• Competency-Based Training: Prioritizing hands-on skill development and real-world application over traditional theoretical teaching.

• Holistic Learning: Incorporating soft skills, ethics, and collaborative practices into the core training modules.

• Support for Universal Health Coverage (UHC): Building a skilled allied health workforce to complement India’s UHC goals, especially in physiotherapy and renal care services.

Digital Accessibility and Future Implementation

The curricula will be publicly accessible on the NCAHP website and are expected to be mandatorily implemented across institutions starting in 2026. Smt. Srivastava further shared that digital modules of the curriculum will be crowd-sourced, enabling widespread access and enhancing capacity building in alignment with the government’s vision of Swastha Bharat (Healthy India).

She also stressed the need for robust infrastructure, faculty training, and ongoing quality monitoring to ensure successful deployment and sustained impact.

Vision of “One Nation, One Curriculum” and Beyond

Dr. Yagna Shukla, in her remarks, highlighted that the launch is part of the broader vision enshrined in the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP) Act, 2021. The initiative represents the first phase in a broader curricular overhaul, with additional curricula for other allied health professions scheduled for release in the near future.

She stated, “These curricula will ensure uniformity and are an important step in the direction of actualizing the vision of ‘One Nation, One Curriculum’.”

Institutional Guidelines and Professional Recognition

The new curricula handbooks offer comprehensive frameworks, including detailed course content, eligibility criteria, pedagogical methods, and infrastructure standards. These handbooks serve as the foundation for accreditation, quality assurance, and professional recognition of training programs and practitioners.

By aligning educational standards with global benchmarks and healthcare needs, India aims to strengthen its health delivery systems and prepare a globally competitive workforce of allied health professionals.

 

The rollout of competency-based curricula for allied and healthcare professions marks a significant step in India's mission to revolutionize health education and training. Through this initiative, the government affirms its commitment to creating a future-ready, high-quality, and globally respected healthcare workforce that can support the nation's growing and diverse health demands.