Part of our Nursing Councils of the World series. Last checked: October 2026.
India has one of the largest nursing workforces in the world and is a major source of nurses for the UK, Ireland, the Gulf, Australia and the US. Regulation works on two levels. The Indian Nursing Council (INC) sets national standards for nursing education and keeps the national register. The State Nursing Councils (such as the Kerala Nurses and Midwives Council, the Tamil Nadu Nurses and Midwives Council, the Delhi Nursing Council and the Maharashtra Nursing Council) register nurses who practise in their state and renew their registrations.
Change under way: the National Nursing and Midwifery Commission Act, 2023 provides for a new National Nursing and Midwifery Commission to replace the INC, with state commissions replacing the state councils. The transition is happening in stages. Check whether your state has moved to the new structure before you apply for anything.
Quick answer: Your NUID (Nurse Unique Identity Number) comes from the INC’s Nurses Registration and Tracking System, and most State Nursing Councils now ask for it before they renew your registration. Update your NRTS profile first, then renew through your State Council’s online portal.
- Renewal cycle: every 5 years in most states
- CNE: 30 credits (about 150 hours) every 5 years, with at least 6 credits each year
- Fee: about ₹500–₹1,500 depending on the state, plus a late fee of about ₹100–₹250 per year of delay
- Each State Council sets its own rules, so check yours before you apply.
Getting registered
- Complete a recognised programme: GNM (diploma), B.Sc. Nursing, Post Basic B.Sc. or ANM, at an institution recognised by the INC and your State Council.
- Register with your State Nursing Council: you receive a registration number and certificate.
- Create your NRTS profile: the INC’s Nurses Registration and Tracking System issues every nurse a Nurse Unique Identity Number (NUID). Most state councils now require the NUID for renewal and verification.
- Link to the Healthcare Professionals Registry (HPR) under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, where your state asks for it.
Renewal and CNE credits
| Item | Typical requirement |
|---|---|
| Renewal cycle | Every 5 years in most states |
| CNE credits | 30 credits (about 150 hours) every 5 years, with at least 6 credits (30 hours) each year |
| Mandatory training | Some states, such as Tamil Nadu, require Basic Life Support (theory and practical) for renewal |
| Renewal fee | About ₹500–₹1,500, depending on the state |
| Late fee | About ₹100–₹250 per year of delay |
| Processing | About 8–15 working days online |
Steps: update your NRTS profile → log in to your State Council’s online services → enter your registration number and date of birth → upload certificates and CNE evidence → pay online → download your renewed licence or smart card.
Verification and good standing for work abroad
- Foreign regulators (the UK NMC, Ireland’s NMBI, Australia’s Ahpra, TruMerit in the US and DataFlow in the Gulf) ask your State Nursing Council to confirm your registration directly. Many also need the INC’s confirmation.
- Apply through the council’s verification or good-standing service, and pay its fee. Some councils send verification only to the regulator, never to the nurse.
- Keep your Indian registration active while you apply abroad. Most regulators reject a lapsed home licence.
- Some councils, such as Tamil Nadu, have said that nurses working abroad on a valid foreign licence may not need to renew in India until they return. Keeping it active still makes coming home easier.
Indians with a foreign nursing degree
If you trained outside India, you must have your qualification assessed for equivalence before a State Council will register you. This may involve extra clinical training or an examination. Start with the INC’s guidance for foreign-qualified applicants.
Discipline
Complaints of professional misconduct, such as negligence, fraud, fake certificates or practising without registration, are handled by the State Nursing Council (or the new state commission) under its Act and the INC Code of Ethics. After an inquiry, the council can warn the nurse, suspend their registration or remove their name from the register. Removal is reported in verifications to foreign regulators. Fake or purchased certificates are a criminal matter and a common reason Gulf and UK applications are refused.
Next steps if you are going abroad
- UK: NMC guide
- Gulf: Saudi · UAE
- Australia: Ahpra guide · Ireland: NMBI guide
Sources: Indian Nursing Council NRTS portal; CollegeSimplified, renewal of nursing licence in India (2026); National Nursing and Midwifery Commission Act, 2023. Confirm fees and rules with your State Nursing Council.
Leave a Reply