Allied health courses like Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy will have a new common curriculum starting from the academic year 2026-27. The National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP) has announced this change, making it mandatory for all training institutions across India.
New Curriculum for 17 Allied Health Courses
Dr. Yagna Unmesh Shukla, Chairperson of NCAHP, announced that this new curriculum will apply to 17 different allied health courses. This includes popular fields such as Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Respiratory Technology, Medical Physics, and Nuclear Medicine Technology. The goal is to ensure a standard quality of education for these courses throughout the country.
Dr. Shukla mentioned that this initiative aims to make these courses more effective and provide students with stable career paths. The demand for trained professionals in these fields is growing, and a common curriculum will help meet this demand with skilled graduates.
Mandatory from 2026-27
All healthcare institutions offering these 17 courses must adopt the new common curriculum starting from the 2026-27 academic session. The NCAHP will soon release detailed guidelines about the minimum standards and regulations that institutions need to follow.
Why the Change?
Fields like Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy are seeing increased interest from students, partly due to the NEET UG exam requirement for some related courses. Dr. Shukla also highlighted the international demand for professionals in areas like Occupational Therapy, which is used to help children with special needs. Allied sciences such as Forensic Science and Embryology are also gaining importance.
Karnataka is expected to be one of the first states to implement these new guidelines, with the Karnataka State Allied & Healthcare Professions Council actively working on it. The state's Health Minister has also expressed support for these updates, believing they will improve the quality of education and career prospects for students.
