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NEET-UG requirement for physiotherapy, occupational therapy courses deferred to 2027–28

March 04, 2026 5 min read Polity & Governance Social Issues GS2 (Health policy regulatory bodies education governance)
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What Happened

  • The National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP) deferred the mandatory NEET-UG requirement for admissions to Bachelor of Physiotherapy (BPT) and Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (BOT) programmes to the academic year 2027-28.
  • For the 2026-27 academic year, admissions to BPT and BOT will continue on the basis of Class 12 Physics, Chemistry, and Biology (PCB) marks — 50% minimum for General category and 40% for SC/ST/OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) and Persons with Benchmark Disabilities.
  • The deferral was decided after the National Testing Agency (NTA) and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare flagged that including BPT/BOT in NEET-UG could cause an unexpected surge in the number of candidates, creating logistical challenges in conducting the examination.
  • The original plan had been to bring physiotherapy and occupational therapy under NEET-UG from 2026-27 as part of broader standardisation of allied health admissions under the NCAHP Act, 2021.
  • Some states, including Delhi (Indraprastha University), simultaneously moved to use their own Common Entrance Tests (CET) rather than NEET for physiotherapy admissions.

Static Topic Bridges

National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP) Act, 2021

The NCAHP Act, 2021, is a landmark legislation that established a unified regulatory framework for allied and healthcare professions in India — a domain previously unregulated at the national level. Passed by Parliament on March 24, 2021, and notified on May 25, 2021, it covers over 56 allied health professions grouped into ten categories, including physiotherapy, occupational therapy, radiography, medical laboratory technology, optometry, and nutrition. Before this Act, these professions were regulated (or unregulated) by a patchwork of state-level authorities, with no common standards for education, practice, or ethics. The Act sets up a National Commission, State Allied and Healthcare Councils, and an Accreditation Board.

  • NCAHP covers professions not governed by the National Medical Commission (doctors), Dental Council of India, Indian Nursing Council, Pharmacy Council of India, or Rehabilitation Council of India.
  • The ten categories under NCAHP include: Life Science and Allied Health, Surgical and Anesthesia-related Technology, Trauma & Burn Care, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, and more.
  • The Act mandates a central register of all licensed allied health professionals.
  • NCAHP's official portal was launched in October 2024; the commission is progressively operationalising its mandate.

Connection to this news: The NCAHP's authority to prescribe admission criteria — including the NEET-UG mandate — flows directly from the NCAHP Act, 2021; the deferral is thus an administrative decision by the regulatory body exercising discretion under the Act's framework.

NEET-UG: Scope, Controversy, and Expansion

The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate) — NEET-UG — was introduced in 2013 by the Medical Council of India as a single national entrance examination for MBBS and BDS admissions, replacing the earlier multitude of state and institutional entrance tests. Upheld by the Supreme Court in 2016, it has since been the sole gateway for MBBS, BDS, AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Homeopathy) admissions. The NCAHP Act's ambition to bring allied health professions under NEET represents a further expansion of this single-entrance model, aiming to standardise quality and reduce coaching-industry distortions in admissions.

  • NEET-UG 2024 saw approximately 24 lakh (2.4 million) registered candidates — the highest ever.
  • The 2024 NEET controversy (paper leak allegations, grace marks issue) led to the arrest of several individuals and a Supreme Court inquiry.
  • NEET was made applicable to government medical colleges from 2013 and private medical colleges from 2017.
  • AYUSH courses were brought under NEET-UG in 2020.
  • Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and other states have historically opposed centralised NEET, arguing it disadvantages state board students.

Connection to this news: The NTA's logistical concern about a candidate surge is grounded in real experience — adding even a fraction of the estimated 2-3 lakh BPT/BOT aspirants annually to an already stretched NEET administration was seen as operationally risky, particularly following the 2024 examination controversies.

Allied Health Workforce in India

India faces a severe shortage of allied health professionals. The World Health Organization recommends a doctor-to-population ratio of 1:1000; India crossed this threshold recently (1:834 as per NMC 2023 data), but allied health professional ratios remain critically low. Physiotherapists are estimated at approximately 1.2 per 10,000 population — far below the WHO benchmark. Occupational therapists are even scarcer. Standardising entry into these professions through NEET is seen as a quality lever, but critics argue it could also reduce access for candidates who are strong in their specific vocational aptitude but weaker in the standard PCB MCQ format tested by NEET.

  • India has approximately 2.4 lakh registered physiotherapists (as per Indian Association of Physiotherapists estimates).
  • There are over 400 physiotherapy colleges in India with a combined annual intake of approximately 20,000 students.
  • The Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) scheme has increased demand for allied health professionals in empanelled hospitals.
  • The National Health Policy 2017 explicitly calls for strengthening allied health professions as part of expanding primary health care.

Connection to this news: The deferral of NEET for BPT/BOT reflects tension between quality standardisation goals and practical governance constraints — illustrating the challenge of scaling single-examination systems to an increasingly diverse allied health education ecosystem.

Key Facts & Data

  • NCAHP Act, 2021: Enacted March 24, 2021; notified May 25, 2021.
  • Courses affected: Bachelor of Physiotherapy (BPT) and Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (BOT).
  • Deferral: NEET-UG mandatory from 2027-28 (not 2026-27 as originally planned).
  • 2026-27 admission criteria: 50% in PCB (Class 12) for General; 40% for SC/ST/OBC-NCL/PwBD.
  • Reason for deferral: Logistical challenges due to potential surge in NEET candidate numbers.
  • NEET-UG 2024 registrations: ~24 lakh — highest ever.
  • India has ~400+ physiotherapy colleges with ~20,000 annual student intake.
  • WHO benchmark for physiotherapists: Not a fixed ratio, but India's ~1.2/10,000 population is considered severely deficient.