Section 17 - Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021

The Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021

Chapter V

National Assisted Reproductive Technology and Surrogacy Board and State Assisted Reproductive Technology and Surrogacy Boards

17. Constitution of National Assisted Reproductive Technology and Surrogacy Board.-

(1) The Central Government shall, by notification, constitute a Board to be known as the National Assisted Reproductive Technology and Surrogacy Board to exercise the powers and perform the functions conferred on the Board under this Act.

(2) The Board shall consist of-

(a) the Minister in-charge of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the Chairperson, ex officio;

(b) the Secretary to the Government of India in-charge of the Department dealing with the surrogacy matter, Vice-Chairperson, ex officio;

(c) three women Members of Parliament, of whom two shall be elected by the House of the People and one by the Council of States, Members, ex officio;

(d) three Members of the Ministries of the Central Government in-charge of Women and Child Development, Legislative Department in the Ministry of Law and Justice and the Ministry of Home Affairs, not below the rank of Joint Secretary, Members, ex officio;

(e) the Director General of Health Services of the Central Government, Member, ex officio;

(f) ten expert Members to be appointed by the Central Government in such manner as may be prescribed and two each from amongst-

(i) eminent medical geneticists or embryologists;

(ii) eminent gynaecologists and obstetricians;

(iii) eminent social scientists;

(iv) representatives of women welfare organisations; and

(v) representatives from civil society working on women's health and child issues, possessing such qualifications and experience as may be prescribed;

(g) four Chairpersons of the State Boards to be nominated by the Central Government by rotation to represent the States and the Union territories, two in the alphabetical order and two in the reverse alphabetical order, Member, ex officio; and

(h) an officer, not below the rank of a Joint Secretary to the Central Government, in-charge of Surrogacy Division in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, who shall be the Member- Secretary, ex officio.