NEET now mandatory for allied and healthcare courses from 2026-27
New Delhi: The National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) is now mandatory and a basic eligibility criterion for admission to Allied and Healthcare undergraduate courses from the academic year 2026-2027, the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP) has informed.
In an official release, NCAHP has mentioned that it has notified 13 curricula so far for different Allied and Healthcare graduate and postgraduate courses, which will be implemented from the 2026-2027 academic year. Further, it announced that NCAHP is in the process of releasing more curricula.
The announcement in this regard was made by the Commission in a communication addressed to the Secretary of Department of Higher Education, Government of India, Department of School Education and Literacy, Department of Education of State Governments and UT Administrations.
Addressing the issue of admission eligibility to various courses in the field of Allied and Healthcare for the curriculum issued by NCAHP, the Commission mentioned in the communication dated 19.11.2025, "I am directed to say that the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP) has notified 13 curricula so far for different courses of Allied and Healthcare Professions for graduate and postgraduate levels, which are to be implemented from the 2026-27 academic year. Also, to be noted that NCAHP is in process of releasing more curricula. The details may be seen on the Commission’s website."
It further added that as per the NCAHP Act, 2021, the entry criteria to the admission to Allied and Healthcare courses to be defined has been incorporated in the notified curricula.
"In majority of curricula notified have one of the eligibility criterion for admission is appearing in NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test) exam over and above other criteria. Admission to these courses is slated to begin from 2026–27 academic year," the Commission mentioned.
Announcing that NEET is a basic eligibility criterion for admission to Allied and Healthcare Courses from the academic year 2026-2027, the Commission added, "Therefore, it is requested that the Boards working under the Central/State Govt./UTs may be directed to disseminate information to Schools/Institutes that students aspiring for admission into Allied and Healthcare undergraduate courses after passing the Senior Secondary level equivalent exam will require NEET appearance as a basic eligibility criterion, along with other eligibility criteria."
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that last year, NEET was made a mandatory entry requirement for admission to Undergraduate-level Physiotherapy courses. Releasing the draft curriculum of Physiotherapy, the Interim Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (ICAHP) had mentioned that the students entering the Physiotherapy program, "must have appeared in National eligibility entrance test (NEET)."
