India Notifies NCAHP Registration Regulations 2026 Defining Optometry Professional Standards

The Government of India notified the Registration of Allied and Healthcare Professionals Regulations, 2026, under the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP) Act, 2021. Published in the Gazette on 9 September 2026, the regulations come into force immediately. Schedule I recognises three Ophthalmic Sciences professions: Optometrist, Ophthalmic Assistant, and Vision Technician. The framework specifies a five-year Bachelor of Optometry programme while retaining recognition for existing degrees and government-approved two-year diplomas (minimum 2,000 hours). Non-government diploma courses are excluded. Registration is valid for five years, requiring 75 hours of Continuous Professional Development during that period. The article notes that opticians engaged in dispensing spectacles are distinct from registered professionals providing eye-care services, though transitional provisions allow provisional registration for those practising before the Act's commencement.