Chapter III STATE ALLIED AND HEALTHCARE COUNCIL

1. (1) Every State Government shall, by notification, within six months from the date of commencement of this Act, constitute a State Council to be called the State Allied and Healthcare Council for exercising such powers and discharging such duties as may be laid down under this Act.
2. (2) The State Council shall be a body corporate by the name aforesaid, having perpetual succession and a common seal, with power to acquire, hold and dispose of property, both movable and immovable, and to contract and shall by the same name sue or be sued.
3. (3) The State Council shall consist of the following, namely:—
   • (a) a person of outstanding ability, proven administrative capacity and integrity, possessing a postgraduate degree in any profession of recognised category of allied and healthcare sciences from any University and having experience of not less than twenty-five years in the field of allied and healthcare sciences, out of which at least ten years shall be as a leader in the area of allied and healthcare professions to be nominated by the State Government--Chairperson;
   • (b) one Director or Additional Director or Joint Director representing medical or health sciences in the State Government-ex officio Member;
   • (c) two persons not below the rank of Dean or Head of the Department from any medical colleges of the State Government-ex officio Members;
   • (d) president of the Autonomous Boards constituted by the State Council under sub-section (1) of section 29-ex officio Member;
   • (e) two persons representing each of the recognised categories specified in the Schedule to be nominated by the State Government having such qualifications and experience as may be prescribed by the State Government--Members; and
   • (f) two persons, representing charitable institutions engaged in education or services in connection with any recognised category, to be nominated by the State Government having such qualifications and experience as may be prescribed by the State Government--Members.

1. (1) The Chairperson of the State Council and Member nominated under clauses (e) and (f) of sub-section (3) of section 22 shall hold office for a term not exceeding two years from the date on which they enter upon their office and shall be eligible for renomination for a maximum period of two terms.
2. (2) The Members nominated to the State Council under clauses (e) and (f) of sub-section (3) of section 22 shall receive such travelling and other allowances as may be prescribed by the State Government.

1. (1) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section
2. (1) of section 23, the Chairperson of the State Council and Member nominated under clauses (e) and (f) of sub-section (3) of section 22 may—
   • (i) relinquish his office by giving in writing to the State Government notice of not less than three months; or
   • (ii) be removed from his office if he—
   • (a) has been adjudged insolvent; or
   • (b) has been convicted of an offence which, in the opinion of the State Government, involves moral turpitude; or
   • (c) has become physically or mentally incapable of acting as a Member; or
   • (d) has acquired such financial or other interest as is likely to affect prejudicially his functions as a Member; or
   • (e) has so abused his position as to render his continuance in office prejudicial to the public interest.
3. (2) No such Member shall be removed from his office under clause (d) or clause (e) of sub-section (1) unless he has been given a reasonable opportunity of being heard in the matter.

1. (1) A Member under clause (b) or clause (c) of sub-section (3) of section 22, shall cease to be a Member of the State Council on his cessation to the service by virtue of which he was appointed as a Member of the State Council.
2. (2) The Chairperson or any other Member appointed under any casual vacancy in the State Council under sub-section (3) of section 22, shall hold office only for the remainder of the term of the member in whose place he has been appointed.

1. (1) The State Council shall meet at such times and places, and shall observe such rules of procedure in regard to the transaction of business at its meetings (including quorum of such meetings) in the manner as may be prescribed by the State Government.
2. (2) The Chairperson of the State Council, if for any reason, he is unable to attend a meeting of the State Council, any other member chosen by the members present from amongst themselves at the meeting shall preside over the meeting.
3. (3) All questions which come up before any meeting of the State Council shall be decided by a majority of the members present and voting, and in the event of an equality of votes, the Chairperson of the State Council or in his absence, the member of the State Council presiding, shall have a second or casting vote.

No act or proceeding of the

State Council shall be invalidated merely by reason of—

1. (a) any vacancy in, or any defect in the constitution of the State Council; or
2. (b) any defect in the appointment of a person acting as a member of the State Council; or
3. (c) any irregularity in the procedure of the State Council not affecting the merits of the case.

1. (1) Subject to such rules as may be made by the State Government in this behalf, the State Council may appoint a Secretary and such other employees as it may think necessary for the efficient performance of its functions under this Act.
2. (2) The salaries and allowances payable to, and other conditions of service of, the Secretary, other officers and employees of the State Council appointed under sub-section (1) shall be such as may be prescribed by the State Government.

1. (1) The State Council shall, by notification, constitute the following Autonomous Boards for regulating the allied and healthcare professionals, namely,—
   • (a) Under-graduate Allied and Healthcare Education Board,
   • (b) Post-graduate Allied and Healthcare Education Board,
   • (c) Allied and Healthcare Professions Assessment and Rating Board, and
   • (d) Allied and Healthcare Professions Ethics and Registration Board.
2. (2) The Autonomous Boards constituted under sub-section (1) shall consist of a president and such number of members from each recognised category as may be specified by the regulations and shall be appointed by the State Government.
3. (3) The Under-graduate Allied and Healthcare Education Board and Post-graduate Allied and Healthcare Education Board shall determine standards of allied and healthcare education at the graduate, postgraduate level and super-speciality level, develop competency based on dynamic curriculum content, reviewing institutional standards against norms, faculty development, approval of courses of recognised qualification and other functions as entrusted by the State Council for Under Graduate Education and Post Graduate Education.
4. (4) The Allied and Healthcare Profession Assessment and Rating Board shall determine the procedure for the assessment and rating of allied and healthcare institutions by providing for inspection of institutions, grant permission for establishment of new allied and healthcare institutions and seat capacity, empanelling assessors, imposing warnings or fines, recommend for withdrawal of recognition of institutions and any other function as entrusted by the State Council to ensure maintenance of minimum essential standards.
5. (5) The Allied and Healthcare Profession Ethics and Registration Board shall maintain online and live State Registers of all licensed allied and healthcare practitioners in the State, regulate the professional conduct and promotion of ethics and undertake any other function as entrusted by the State Council.
6. (6) The Under-graduate Allied and Healthcare education or Post-graduate Allied and Healthcare education or Allied and Healthcare Professions Assessment and Rating or Allied and Healthcare Professions Ethics and Registration shall perform such other functions as may be specified by regulations.

It shall be the duty of the State Council to take all such steps as it may think fit for ensuring the co-ordinated and integrated development of education and maintenance of the standards of delivery of services under this Act and, for the purposes of performing its functions, the State Council shall—

1. (a) enter the name of the recognised categories, enforce the professional conduct, code of ethics and etiquette to be observed by the allied and healthcare professionals in the State and take disciplinary action, including the removal of a professionals' name from the State Register;
2. (b) ensure minimum standards of education, courses, curricula, physical and instructional facilities, staff pattern, staff qualifications, quality instructions, assessment, examination, training, research, continuing professional education;
3. (c) ensure uniform entry examination with common counselling for admission into the allied and healthcare institutions at the diploma, undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral level under this Act;
4. (d) ensure uniform exit or licensing examination for the allied and healthcare professionals under this Act;
5. (e) inspect allied and healthcare institutions and register allied and healthcare professionals in the State;
6. (f) ensure compliance of all the directives issued by the Commission;
7. (g) provide minimum standards framework for machineries, materials and services;
8. (h) approve or recognise courses and intake capacity for courses;
   • (i) impose fine upon institutions in order to maintain standards; and
9. (j) perform such other functions as may be entrusted to it by the State Government for implementation of the provisions of this Act.

The State Council may constitute as many professional

Advisory Boards as may be necessary to examine the issues relating to one or more recognised categories and to recommend the State Council and also to undertake any other activity as may be authorised by the State Council.

1. (1) The State Council shall maintain online and live State Register of persons in separate parts for each of the recognised categories to be known as the State Allied and Healthcare Professionals’ Register which shall contain information including the name of person and qualifications relating to any of their respective recognised categories in such manner as may be specified by regulations.
2. (2) The State Register shall contain the details of academic qualification institutions, training, skill and competencies of Allied and Healthcare Professionals related to their profession in the manner as may be specified by regulations.
3. (3) The State Register shall be deemed to be a public document within the meaning of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 (1 of 1872), and may be proved by a certified copy provided by the State Council.

1. (1) A person shall be entitled, on an application and on payment of such fees as may be prescribed by the State Government, to have his name entered in the State Register if he resides in the State and holds a recognised allied and healthcare qualification.
2. (2) Upon the application to the State Council, if the State Council is of the opinion that the applicant is entitled to have his name entered on the State Register, the State Council shall enter thereon the name of the applicant.
3. (3) Upon entry of a name in the State Register under this section, the Secretary of the State Council shall issue to the applicant a certificate of registration in such form as may be prescribed by the State Government.
4. (4) The certificate of registration of Allied and Healthcare Profession shall be valid for a period of five years, and renewal of such registration shall be in such form and in such manner as specified by regulations for the respective profession.
5. (5) Any person whose application for registration is rejected by the State Council may, within one month from the date of such rejection, appeal to the Commission.

Where it is shown to the satisfaction of the Secretary of the State

Council that a certificate of registration or a certificate of renewal has been lost or destroyed, the State Council may, on payment of such fee, issue a duplicate certificate in such form as may be prescribed by the State Government.

1. (1) There shall be paid in every five years to the State Council, such fee in such manner as may be prescribed by the State Government for renewal of name of allied and healthcare professionals in the State Register.
2. (2) Where the fee under sub-section (1) is not paid within the specified period, the Secretary of the State Council shall remove the name of the defaulter from the State Register: Provided that a name so removed may be restored to the said register on payment of such fee as may be prescribed by the State Government.
3. (3) On payment of the fee under sub-section (1), the Secretary of the State Council shall issue a certificate of renewal and such certificate shall be proof of renewal of registration.

1. (1) The State Council may, by order, after giving that person a reasonable opportunity of being heard and after such further inquiry, if any, as it may think fit—
   • (a) that his name has been entered in the State Register by error or on account of mis-representation or suppression of a material fact; or
   • (b) that he has been convicted of an offence involving moral turpitude and punishable with imprisonment or has been guilty of any infamous conduct in any professional respect or has violated the standards of professional conduct and etiquette or the code of ethics which in the opinion of the State Council renders him unfit to be kept in the said register, remove the name of the person from the State Register.
2. (2) Any person whose name has been removed from the State Register under sub-section (1) shall be ineligible for registration under this Act, either permanently or for such period as may be specified by regulations.
3. (3) An order under sub-section (1) shall not take effect until the expiry of three months from the date thereof or until an appeal, if any, on such order is finally disposed of, whichever date is later.
4. (4) A person aggrieved by an order under sub-section (1) may, within thirty days from the communication of such order, prefer an appeal to the Commission and, after giving an opportunity of being heard, the Commission shall, within a period of ninety days from the date of filing of such appeal, pass such order as it thinks fit.
5. (5) A person whose name has been removed from the State Register under this section or under sub-section (2) of section 35 shall forthwith surrender his certificate of registration or certificate of renewal, if any, to the State Council and the name so removed shall be published on the website of the State Council, and in one daily local newspaper in vernacular language.
6. (6) A person whose name has been removed from the State Register under this section shall not be entitled to have his name registered in the State Register or in any other State Register except with the approval of the State Council from whose register his name has been removed.

The State Council may, at any time for reasons appearing to it as sufficient and upon payment of such fee as may be prescribed by the State Government, order that the name of a person removed from a State Register shall be restored and the name shall be uploaded on the website of the State Council, and in one daily local newspaper in vernacular language.

Every person who offers his services in any of the recognised categories on or before the commencement of this Act shall be allowed to be provisionally registered under the provisions of this Act within such period from such commencement in such manner as may be specified by regulations.