It’s Delayed, but Finally Here: The 2025 Regulation to Channelize Mental Health Programs & the Psychology Profession

After years of anticipation, the "Registration of Allied and Healthcare Professionals Regulations, 2025" has finally been released, marking a pivotal step for mental health programs and for everyone in the psychology profession. While the momentum from UGC, NITI Aayog, and the government was in place, it took years for the NCAHP Act (2021) to translate into actionable regulations. Now, quality, ethical standards, and professional recognition for psychologists are closer to reality.

For those of us who dedicated years to undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral training in psychology (in regular mode), these rules finally bring standardization and hope. Registration will now require completion of UG+PG+PhD (or the equivalent set of recognized degrees), closing loopholes and preventing entry via short-cuts or distance modes. This brings Indian psychology in line with best international practices and sets a new baseline for skill, ethics, and educational quality.

The act offers a long-awaited, nationally recognized standard for psychologists—distinguishing us (other than clinical psychologists registered under RCI) from loosely regulated counselors while clearly defining our roles across mental health programs, research, community work, teaching, and therapeutic interventions. Its strict requirement for formal, regular-mode degrees weeds out unethical and underqualified practice, a chronic problem harming public trust.

Image created by AI assistant, Perplexity AI, in September 2025. Concept: Regulation and standardization in mental health and psychology.

However, for the act to deliver real change, state councils must be established urgently to register professionals, enforce ethical norms, and intervene against malpractice. Their absence still leaves gaps at ground level, as seen in the disparities and challenges that have plagued implementation of the National Mental Health Programme (NMHP) and related initiatives. Only when state-level authorities are functional can India's huge standardization protocols—articulated by UGC, NITI Aayog, and now the NCAHP—be realized in everyday practice.

In summary, although this move has come later than hoped, it is a landmark for the psychology profession. The journey to channelize mental health services and safeguard professional standards has officially begun—late, but undoubtedly launched.

Citation:

National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professionals. (2025). Registration of Allied and Healthcare Professionals Regulations, 2025 (Draft). Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. Retrieved from https://ncahp.abdm.gov.in/DraftRegulations

Registration of Allied and Healthcare Professionals Regulations 2025 Draft.pdf

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