NCAHP Notifies UGC: NEET UG Mandatory for Physiotherapy & Occupational Therapy, University Tests for Psychology Courses from 2026-27

The National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP) has officially informed the University Grants Commission (UGC) regarding the fresh set of eligibility criteria for admissions to undergraduate programmes in allied and healthcare fields that will come into effect from the 2026, 27 academic year. This move aims to unify admission standards across India’s allied health science education landscape.

According to the changed rules, NEET UG will be the only method by which one can get admission to the core programmes like Bachelor of Physiotherapy (BPT) and Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (BOT) without any exception. Candidates will have to take the National Eligibility, cum, Entrance Test (UG) as the first condition along with fulfilling the academic requirements of Class 12 with Physics, Chemistry and Biology (PCB) and the minimum aggregate marks.

However, admission to psychology, related programmes, especially Bachelor of Psychology (BPsy) and Bachelor of Medical and Psychiatric Social Work (BMPSW), will be through university or institute, level entrance tests. These tests will give universities an opportunity to select the best students from a variety of educational backgrounds as psychology courses generally get students from science, arts, and commerce streams.

For several other allied healthcare degrees such as optometry, medical radiology and imaging technology, medical laboratory science, nutrition and dietetics, emergency medical technology and more, Class 12 academic performance will continue to determine eligibility. These programmes typically require candidates to have studied PCB (or PCB/Mathematics where applicable), with some courses also mandating English at the higher secondary level.

NCAHP’s proposed framework reflects its broader strategy to standardise allied and healthcare education under a central regulatory framework established to elevate quality and ensure uniformity. However, final implementation depends on state councils and universities adopting these standards.

Students planning admissions for 2026-27 should prepare accordingly, particularly for NEET UG if targeting physiotherapy or occupational therapy, and keep track of university-specific test notifications.