28. Recognition of nursing and Midwifery qualifications granted by Universities or nursing and
midwifery institutions in India.—(1) Every nursing and midwifery qualification granted by any
University or nursing and midwifery institution in India shall be listed and maintained by the Nursing and
Midwifery Undergraduate and Postgraduate Education Board in such manner as may be specified by
regulations, and such nursing and midwifery qualification shall be a recognised nursing and midwifery
qualification for the purposes of this Act.
22
(2) Every University or nursing and midwifery institution in India which conducts any course for
nursing or midwifery qualification, not included in the list maintained by the Nursing and Midwifery
Undergraduate and Postgraduate Education Board may apply to that Board for granting recognition to such
qualification.
(3) The Nursing and Midwifery Undergraduate and Postgraduate Education Board shall examine the
application for grant of recognition to an undergraduate or postgraduate or speciality or clinical nurse
speciality or nurse practitioner course in all specialities of nursing and midwifery qualification within a
period of six months, in such manner as may be specified by regulations.
(4) Where the Nursing and Midwifery Undergraduate and Postgraduate Education Board decides to
grant recognition to a nursing and midwifery qualification, it shall include such qualification in the list
maintained by it and also specify the date of effect of such recognition.
(5) An institution or University aggrieved by the decision under sub-section (3) may, within sixty days
from the communication of such decision, prefer an appeal to the National Commission and the National
Commission shall, within a period of sixty days from the date of filing of such appeal, pass such orders as
it thinks fit, after giving an opportunity of being heard.
(6) Where the National Commission decides not to grant recognition to the nursing and midwifery
qualification or fails to take a decision within the specified period, the University or nursing and midwifery
institution concerned may prefer a second appeal to the Central Government within a period of thirty days
of the communication of such decision or after the lapse of specified period, as the case may be.
(7) All nursing and midwifery qualifications which have been recognised before the date of
commencement of this Act and are included in the Part I and Part II of the Schedule to the Indian Nursing
Council Act, 1947 (48 of 1947), shall also be recognised nursing and midwifery qualifications for the
purposes of this Act, and shall be listed and maintained by the Nursing and Midwifery Undergraduate and
Postgraduate Education Board in such manner as may be specified by regulations.
(8) If any authority within a State, being recognised by the State Government in consultation with the
State Commission or any autonomous body, if any, for the purpose of granting any qualification, grants a
qualification which is not recognised by the National Commission, then, such authority may apply to the
National Commission to have such qualification recognised, and the National Commission may declare that
such qualification, or such qualification only when granted after a specified date, shall be a recognised
qualification for the purposes of this Act.
(9) Every State Government may, for the purposes of addressing or promoting public health nursing
and midwifery practice in rural areas, take necessary measures to enhance the capacity of the nursing and
midwifery professionals.
29. Recognition of nursing and midwifery qualifications granted by nursing and midwifery
institutions outside India.—(1) Where an authority in any country outside India, which by the law of that
country is entrusted with the recognition of nursing and midwifery qualifications in that country, makes an
application to the National Commission for granting recognition to such nursing and midwifery
qualification in India, the National Commission may, subject to such verification as it may deem necessary,
either grant or refuse to grant recognition to that nursing and midwifery qualification:
Provided that the National Commission shall give a reasonable opportunity of being heard to such
authority before refusing to grant such recognition.
(2) The nursing and midwifery qualification, which is granted recognition by the National Commission
under sub-section (1), shall be a recognised nursing and midwifery qualification for the purposes of this
Act, and such qualification shall be listed and maintained by the National Commission in such manner as
may be specified by regulations:
23
Provided that practice by a person possessing such qualification shall be permitted in such manner as
may be specified by regulations.
(3) Where the National Commission refuses to grant recognition to the nursing and midwifery
qualification under sub-section (1), the authority concerned may prefer an appeal to the Central Government
against such decision within a period of thirty days of communication thereof and the Central Government
shall dispose of the appeal within a period of ninety days from the date of such appeal.
(4) The mutual recognition of the qualifications for reciprocal registration of nursing and idwifery
professionals between two countries shall be done in such manner as may be specified by regulations.
30. Recognition of nursing and midwifery qualifications granted by statutory or other body in
India.—(1) The nursing and midwifery qualifications granted by any statutory or other recognised body in
India before the commencement of this Act shall be recognised as nursing and midwifery qualifications in
such manner as may be specified by the National Commission for the purposes of this Act.
(2) The Central Government may, on the recommendation of the National Commission, and having
regard to the objects of this Act, by notification, add to, or, as the case may be, omit any category of nursing
and midwifery qualifications granted by a statutory or other body in India and on such addition, or as the
case may be, omission, the nursing and midwifery qualifications granted by such statutory or other body in
India shall be, or shall cease to be, recognised nursing and midwifery qualifications for the purposes of this Act.
31. Withdrawal of recognition granted to nursing and midwifery qualification granted by nursing
and midwifery institutions in India.—(1) Where, upon receiving the recommendations or report from the
Nursing and Midwifery Assessment and Rating Board under section 19, or from a State Commission or a
State Government or otherwise, if the National Commission is of the opinion that—
(a) the courses of study and examination to be undergone in, or the proficiency required from
candidates at any examination held by, a University or nursing and midwifery institution do not
conform to the standards specified by the Nursing and Midwifery Undergraduate and Postgraduate
Education Board; or
(b) the standards and norms for infrastructure, faculty and quality of education in the nursing and
midwifery institution, as determined by the Nursing and Midwifery Undergraduate and Postgraduate
Education Board are not adhered to by any University or nursing and midwifery institution, and such
University or nursing and midwifery institution has failed to take necessary corrective action to
maintain specified minimum standards,
the National Commission may initiate action in accordance with the provisions of sub-section (2).
(2) The National Commission shall, after making such further inquiry as it deems fit, and after holding
consultations with the concerned State Government and the authority of the concerned University or nursing
and midwifery institution, comes to the conclusion that the recognition granted to a nursing and midwifery
qualification ought to be withdrawn, it may, by order, withdraw recognition granted to such qualification
and direct the Nursing and Midwifery Undergraduate and Postgraduate Education Board to amend the
entries against the University or nursing and midwifery institution concerned in the list maintained by that
Board to the effect that the recognition granted to such nursing and midwifery qualification is withdrawn
with effect from the date specified in that order.
32. Special provision in certain cases for recognition of nursing and midwifery
qualifications.— Where the National Commission deems it necessary, it may, by an order published in the
Official Gazette, direct that any nursing and midwifery qualification granted by a nursing and midwifery
institution in a country outside India, after such date as may be specified in that order, shall be a recognised
nursing and midwifery qualification for the purposes of this Act:
Provided that before providing the recognition, the equivalence in terms of curriculum, practical
training and number of years of course may be examined in such manner as may be specified by regulations:
24
Provided further that practice by a person possessing such qualification shall be permitted in such
manner as may be specified by regulations.
33. Derecognition of nursing and midwifery qualifications granted by nursing and midwifery
institutions outside India.— Where, after verification with the authority in any country outside India, the
National Commission is of the opinion that a recognised nursing and midwifery qualification which is
included in the list maintained by it is to be derecognised, it may, by order, derecognize such nursing and
midwifery qualification and remove it from the list maintained by the National Commission with effect
from the date of such order.