NITI Aayog proposes interstate licence portability for healthcare professionals

New Delhi: NITI Aayog has proposed interstate licence portability for healthcare professionals, suggesting a system that could allow professionals registered in one state to practise in another without undergoing repeated registration processes or obtaining No Objection Certificates (NOCs).

In its report, India's Services Sector: Insights on Regulatory Regime in Professional Services, NITI Aayog said a seamless system of licence portability could facilitate greater mobility of healthcare professionals, particularly to underserved areas of the country.

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The report suggested operationalising a national licence registry supported by Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) among state councils. Under such arrangements, state councils could recognise each other's registration decisions, allowing professionals licensed in one state to practise in another without duplicative processes.

"An automatic approval route may streamline licensure across states, eliminating the need for repeated state registrations and obtaining No Objection Certificates," the report said.

At present, registration of medical and allied healthcare professionals is primarily handled by individual state medical, nursing and allied health councils, while national bodies perform regulatory oversight and standard-setting functions. However, the report noted that a unified national system for licence portability across states is yet to be established.

Highlighting the existing hurdles, NITI Aayog cited the example of Maharashtra, where doctors registered in other states are required to submit a fresh application along with an NOC from their original state council before being allowed to practise in the state.

Such administrative requirements create barriers to interstate mobility and constrain the movement of doctors, nurses and allied health workers, the report said. It added that these barriers may limit workforce flexibility and affect equitable access to healthcare, particularly in regions facing shortages of healthcare providers.

Apart from interstate portability, NITI Aayog called for expeditious implementation of the National Exit Test (NExT) to standardise competency assessments for medical graduates and establish a transparent, merit-based licensing process.

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It said implementation could also strengthen the credibility of Indian medical graduates domestically and internationally.

The report also called for full operationalisation of the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions Act, 2021. It noted that implementation remained incomplete, particularly at the state level. As of 2025, only 26 states and Union Territories had constituted the required State Allied and Healthcare Councils, with some councils deviating from the provisions of the Act and some states yet to notify their councils.

NITI Aayog also recommended pursuing MRAs to facilitate international mobility of healthcare professionals and streamlining licensing pathways for overseas practitioners.