The Department of Health & Family Welfare has notified on the introduction of a simplified registration mechanism for medical, dental, AYUSH, pharmacy, nursing and allied healthcare practitioners seeking to practise in the State. The Nagaland Simplification of Healthcare Practitioners Registration Notification, 2026 is aimed to simplify the procedure for registration/enrolment of healthcare professionals with respective State Councils thereby, promoting ease of doing business and facilitating the mobility of qualified healthcare professionals within the State.
The notification states that the Nagaland Simplification of Healthcare Practitioners Registration Notification, 2026 shall apply to all persons possessing a recognised qualification in the fields of medical, dental, AYUSH, pharmacy, nursing or allied healthcare and holding valid registration with any State or Union Territory Council in India, who seek to practise their respective profession in the State.
Eligibility to practise:
As per the notification, any person possessing a recognised qualification in the fields of medical, dental, AYUSH, pharmacy, nursing or allied healthcare and holding valid registration with any State or Union Territory Council in India may practise in Nagaland, subject to enrolment with the respective Council in the State.
Dispensation of NOC and grant of registration on self-registration:
The notification removes the need for healthcare practitioners to first obtain an NOC from the Council with which they are presently registered.
Under the simplified procedure, applicants are required to submit copies of their recognised qualification, proof of valid registration with their parent State or UT Council and a prescribed self-declaration along with an application to the concern Council in Nagaland for enrolment and registration. The entire registration process shall be conducted through the respective Council’s dedicated online portal or offline where the online portal is not operational. The concerned Council shall grant a registration number within seven working days from the date of receipt of the application. Upon grant of the registration number, the practitioner may commence practice in Nagaland, subject to the conditions and regulatory requirements prescribed under the applicable laws and regulations.
Internal verification by the Councils:
The notification provides for subsequent verification of the credentials submitted by the applicant. The respective Councils shall independently undertake internal verification of the qualification and registration particulars furnished by the applicant with the parent or presently registered State/UT Council. The responsibility of obtaining and furnishing such verification documentation shall be assumed entirely by the Councils.
Such verification shall be completed within a period of thirty (30) days from the date of grant of the registration number under Clause 3(2). During this period, the registration granted under Clause 3(2) shall be provisional until completion of verification.
If the verification discloses that the qualification or registration submitted by the applicant is not genuine, has been suspended, cancelled, or is otherwise invalid, the concerned Council shall, after affording the practitioner a reasonable opportunity of being heard, cancel the registration by an order in writing.
Consequences of false declaration:
The notification also states that any false, misleading or fabricated self-declaration may invite disciplinary action by the parent Council and/or the concerned Nagaland Council under the applicable Council Acts, Rules, Regulations and Code of Professional Conduct. Such conduct may also attract prosecution under applicable provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and any other law for the time being in force.
The simplified registration mechanism, however, does not exempt practitioners from the professional and legal obligations applicable to their respective fields. Practitioners registered under the new procedure will continue to be governed by the relevant Council Acts, Rules and Regulations, professional ethics, disciplinary procedures and other laws in force.