Delhi High Court gives Centre two months to act on nursing body’s plea

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The Delhi High Court directed the Union Government on Monday (August 17, 2026) to take appropriate action within two months on a representation submitted by the Indian Professional Nurses Association (IPNA) seeking implementation of the National Nursing and Midwifery Commission (NNMC) Act, 2023.

Justice Swarna Kanta Sharma said that if no action is taken within the stipulated period, IPNA would be at liberty to approach the court again.

The direction followed a petition filed by the IPNA, represented by advocate Robin Raju, challenging the delay in constituting the NNMC and implementing the Act. The association also sought a time-bound update on the selection and appointment of the Commission’s office-bearers and members of its various boards.

The NNMC Act was enacted to replace the 77-year-old Indian Nursing Council Act and establish a modern system for regulating the standards of nursing and midwifery education, the plea stated.

The NNMC Act received presidential assent in August 2023. The Centre subsequently brought its provisions into force on February 29, 2024, notified the rules on March 13, 2024, and invited applications for posts in the Commission and its boards on March 14, 2024. Despite these steps, the Commission had not been constituted, the petition stated.

An RTI response received by IPNA from the Centre on July 7, 2026, also stated that the NNMC had not been constituted and that no appointment or recruitment had been made for the Commission.

IPNA argued that the delay was particularly significant because national regulatory commissions for other healthcare professions had already been constituted. It contended that the continued absence of the nursing commission was arbitrary and discriminatory and had implications for nursing education, professional standards, and the right to health.

“The delay in constituting the Commission directly impacts quality of nursing education, service standards, and the ‘Right to Health’ of citizens,” the plea said.

The association also raised concerns about the functioning of the existing Indian Nursing Council, including the ineffective Nurses Registration and Tracking System (NRTS) portal, lack of an effective grievance redressal mechanism, and inadequate enforcement against nursing institutions.

The petition said IPNA had repeatedly approached the authorities over these issues. It had also submitted a representation to the Union Health Minister on July 20, 2026, seeking immediate implementation of the NNMC Act, but said it had received no response.

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