Registration to Delhi Nursing Council mandatory: Delhi AIIMS directs Nursing Staff

New Delhi: Issuing a final warning, the premier health institution, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi has asked all its Nursing Staff and Pharmacists to enrol with the Delhi Nursing Council and the Delhi Pharmacy Council compulsorily to avoid any strict disciplinary action. 

The institute has instructed the department heads to notify the nursing staff and pharmacist to comply with this directive within a month of the circular's issuance and further said that if they fail to register or renew within the prescribed timeline, appropriate action will be taken for violating the rules.

In a circular issued on Monday by the Medical Superintendent of AIIMS, Prof Nirupam Madan, the premier institute said, “It is mandatory for all nursing staff working in AIIMS, New Delhi to register themselves with DNC on their joining and also ensure timely renewal of their registration with DNC. Nursing staff and pharmacists should comply with the order within one month from the issue of this circular."

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“Appropriate action will be taken against the employee(s) for violation of rules if it is later found that their registration certificate is not valid and is not renewed within the above-prescribed timeline.” the circular added.

Referring to circulars dated 20.06.2023 and 14.08.2023, all Nursing Staff and Pharmacists (including those on contract) were instructed to ensure the timely renewal of their registration with the Delhi Nursing Council (for Nursing Staff) and the Delhi Pharmacy Council (for Pharmacists). They were also required to submit their valid registration certificates to the Establishment Section for record-keeping purposes.

Following this, the AIIMS Nurses Union submitted representations on 28.06.2023 and 26.08.2023, requesting the withdrawal of the aforementioned circulars.

After careful consideration, the Competent Authority decided to seek clarification from the Indian Nursing Council. The query was regarding whether the nursing staff at AIIMS must register themselves with the Delhi Nursing Council or if they could continue working with registration from any other State Nursing Council. Additionally, the validity period of registration was also raised. Letters were sent to the INC on 19.09.2023 and 05.12.2023 as reminders.

The Indian Nursing Council, in their letter dated 10.01.2024 (No. F.No. 18-09/Aiims/2023-INC), clarified that as per the Regulations of Indian Nursing Council (Nurses Registration & Tracking System) Regulations, 2019, registered nurses, midwives, auxiliary nurse midwives, and lady health visitors must apply for reciprocal registration when they move from one State Nursing Council to another. The transfer of registration can be initiated online through the NRTS portal, and upon verification, the new State Nursing Council will complete the transfer process with the same registration number.

"The Indian Nursing Council vide their letter No. F.No. 18-09/Aiims/2023-INC dated 10.01.2024 has clarified that as per the Regulations of Indian Nursing Council (Nurses Registration & Tracking System) Regulations, 2019, a registered nurse/midwife, registered auxiliary nurse midwife, registered lady health visitor is required to seek reciprocal registration when she/he moves from on SNRC to another SNRC where she/he intends to practice. Further Regulation 6 of the said Regulations provides:

''6. Reciprocal/Transfer of Registration- i) For transfer of registration from one State to another State, the registered nurse would log in and apply online in the NRTS portal and state the reasons for such transfer of registration. ii) On the issue of NOC by the previous SNRC online, the new SNRC after biometric authentication and verification shall complete transfer formalities with the same registration number as before iii) All the SNRCS shall charge a uniform Reciprocal Registration Fee as indicated in the Schedule. SNRCS shall also levy a penalty as indicated in the schedule, from an applicant if the reciprocal registration has not been done within three months after leaving the earlier SNRC jurisdiction." mentioned the circular.

Based on this clarification, AIIMS Delhi has made it mandatory for all Nursing Staff working at the institute to register with the Delhi Nursing Council upon joining and ensure timely renewal of their registration.

"The representations dated 28.06.2023 and 26.08.2023 of AIIMS Nurses Union is accordingly disposed off," added the circular.

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