The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOFFW) has introduced the National Nursing and Midwifery Commission Rules, 2024. These rules aim to regulate and advance nursing and midwifery education in the country. These rules were published on March 13, 2024.
The newly enacted rules outline the qualifications and experience required for nursing and midwifery leaders. These include holding a postgraduate degree in any discipline of nursing and midwifery education from a recognized university, registration with the National Register or State Register, and possessing at least fifteen years of experience, including four years in an administrative position in the field of nursing and midwifery from a recognized institution or university.
The rules also stipulate that the Chairperson, whole-time Members of the Commission, Secretary, and President and whole-time Members of Boards shall be governed by the provisions of the Central Civil Service (Conduct) Rules during their tenure.
In addition to its core functions specified in the Act, the Commission is entrusted with several other responsibilities. These include undertaking studies to reduce the cost of nursing education in the country, suggesting measures to adopt modern technology and global best practices to make education more accessible, deciding the manner of hearing appeals against the decisions of Boards, consulting stakeholders such as state governments, union territory administrations, associations of nursing professionals, and patient rights bodies while making regulations, and providing wide publicity to draft regulations for public feedback before finalization. Moreover, the Commission is mandated to endorse major decisions to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and publish them on its website, as well as furnish required information or reports to the Central Government as necessary.
