In a landmark move, the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has, for the first time in Indian history, unveiled a competency-based national curriculum for Physiotherapy under the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP) Act, 2021.
This transformative framework is designed to standardise physiotherapy education and practice across the country, ensuring consistency, quality, and global compatibility.
With this initiative, Physiotherapists are officially recognised as Primary Healthcare Professionals, qualified to act as first-contact healthcare providers.
The Bachelor of Physiotherapy (BPT) program has been extended to 5 years—comprising 4 academic years and 1 mandatory internship—with clinical exposure beginning in the second year.
NEET qualification is now mandatory for admission into BPT programs. Candidates must have completed 10+2 in the science stream (Physics, Chemistry, Biology) with a minimum aggregate of 50% or equivalent.
To support quality education, the Commission has laid out essential criteria for physiotherapy institutions, including university affiliation, hospital infrastructure, qualified faculty, and a robust, skill-based curriculum aligned with WHO and ILO guidelines.
Physiotherapists who obtain their BPT from a recognised institution as per Commission regulations are entitled to use the professional title with the prefix
“Dr.” and suffix “PT”, recognised under ISCO code 22-64. Use of this title is strictly reserved for those meeting the required educational standards, and not applicable to diploma or postgraduate diploma holders.
In an effort to uphold professional standards, certificate, diploma, and postgraduate diploma programs in Physiotherapy will be recognized phased out.
Only candidates with a recognised BPT degree from an accredited university or institution will be authorised to practice as Physiotherapists under the Commission’s regulations
Dr. Tiatula Longkumer (P.T)
President, IAP-NB
Dr. Jesse Magh (P.T)
General Secretary, IAP-NB
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