Section 11 - National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions Act, 2021

11. Functions of Commission.-

(1) It shall be the duty of the Commission to take all such steps as it may think fit for ensuring coordinated and integrated development of education and maintenance of the standards of delivery of services under this Act and for the purposes of performing its functions, the Commission may-

(a) frame policies and standards for the governance of allied and healthcare related education and professional services;

(b) regulate the professional conduct, code of ethics and etiquette to be observed by the allied and healthcare professionals by or under this Act;

(c) create and maintain an up-to-date online and live Central Register with details of academic qualifications institutions, training, skill and competencies of allied and healthcare professionals related to their profession as specified in the Schedule;

(d) provide scope of practice of each profession keeping in view, inter alia, need for task shifting;

(e) provide basic standards of education, courses, curricula, physical and instructional facilities, staff pattern, staff qualifications, quality instructions, assessment, examination, training, research, continuing professional education, maximum tuition fee payable in respect of various categories, proportionate distribution of seats and promote innovations in categories in the manner as may be specified by regulations;

(f) provide the allied and healthcare qualifications to be obtained by allied and healthcare professionals, including the name of the course, entry criteria, duration and such other particulars as may be specified by regulations;

(g) provide for uniform entry examination with common counselling for admission into the allied and healthcare institutions at the diploma, undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral level in the manner as may be specified by regulations;

(h) provide for exit or licensing examinations for allied and healthcare professionals for professional practice or entrance into postgraduate or doctoral level and National Teachers Eligibility Test for academicians in the manner as may be specified by regulations;

(i) provide strategic framework for rational deployment of skilled manpower, performance management systems, task shifting and associated career development pathways for allied and healthcare professionals;

(j) provide minimum standards framework for machineries, materials and services;

(k) take such measures, as may be necessary, to ensure compliance of the guidelines for their effective functioning by the State Councils under this Act in the manner as may be specified by regulations;

(l) constitute committees or engage independent experts for technical advice related to any of the professions as listed in the Schedule for the efficient discharge of the functions of the Commission;

(m) hold an Annual Meeting of the Commission with the National Medical Commission constituted under section 3 of the National Medical Commission Act, 2019 (30 of 2019) and the Central Council constituted under section 3 of the Homoeopathy Central Council Act, 1973 (59 of 1973);

(n) perform such other functions as may be entrusted to it by the Central Government or as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act.

(2) The Commission may delegate such of its functions to the Professional Council as it think necessary.