FSFTI vs Union of India: NCAHP Regulations Mid-Cycle Rollout Challenged

• The FSFTI has challenged the mid-cycle rollout of NCAHP regulations in the Supreme Court, and the matter is ongoing.
• Nearly 20,000 students could be affected if two key universities fail to grant affiliation by August 14.
• Comprehensive regulations have largely not been framed under the NCAHP Act of 2021, despite its enactment five years ago.
• Seven States/Union Territories are yet to constitute functional State Allied and Healthcare Councils.

The plea said around 20,000 students could be affected if two universities do not grant affiliation to institutions offering allied and healthcare profession courses before the August 14 deadline.

The mid-cycle rollout of NCAHP regulations for the 2026-27 session has sparked a high-stakes legal battle in the Supreme Court. At its core, this dispute revolves around the potential impact on thousands of students and institutions grappling with compliance exposures and affiliation crises. The Federation of Self Financing Technical Institutions (FSFTI) has taken the lead in challenging this rollout, citing concerns that nearly 20,000 students could be affected if two key universities fail to grant affiliation to institutions offering allied and healthcare profession courses by August 14. This looming deadline underscores the urgency of the situation, with far-reaching consequences for the academic session ahead. The Supreme Court has issued notice to the Central government on the plea and tagged it with a batch of petitions concerning similar issues, indicating the matter is ongoing.

The NCAHP Act of 2021 has been on the books for five years now, yet comprehensive regulations have largely not been framed under it, with the sector instead governed by a patchwork of executive circulars. This regulatory vacuum is exemplified by recent changes to NEET-UG requirements for BPT and BOT courses, which were hastily introduced only to be withdrawn just two months later. Similarly, the minimum land requirement for physiotherapy colleges has been reduced from 10 acres to 5 acres, creating confusion among institutions with varying norms in force simultaneously. The Maharashtra University of Health Sciences is a case in point, prescribing a mere 2 acres for the same course.

The affiliation crisis is not limited to individual institutions; it also reflects broader structural issues within the regulatory framework. Seven States/Union Territories are yet to constitute functional State Allied and Healthcare Councils, leaving a power vacuum that exacerbates the challenges faced by institutions. This lack of coordination at the state level has significant implications for the sector as a whole, with far-reaching consequences for student placements, course offerings, and institutional viability.

Lawyers should watch for the potential impact on students and institutions affected by the mid-cycle rollout of NCAHP regulations, which may lead to compliance exposures and affiliation crises.

Source: Original reporting via [Source]