Government data point to uneven implementation of NRTS, with several large States lagging behind

Over half of India's registered nursing workforce remains unenrolled in the Nurses Registration and Tracking System (NRTS), seven years after its introduction. According to government data, only 14.24 lakh out of the 46.02 lakh nurses—composed of ANMs, RNs, RMs, and LHVs—are on the platform, leaving 31.78 lakh outside. This incomplete rollout has caused delays in getting No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for job changes and credential verification for overseas employment, impacting nurses' careers and livelihoods.

Implementation disparities are evident across states, with Karnataka enrolling just 82,000 of its 5.58 lakh nurses, Tamil Nadu enrolling 57,000 of its 4.76 lakh, and Andhra Pradesh enrolling 92,000 of its 4.52 lakh nurses. In contrast, Bihar has enrolled 62,020 of its 62,591 nurses, Jharkhand has 90% of its 27,160 nurses on the system, and Odisha has 78,244 out of 98,194 nurses enrolled.

Congress MP Anto Antony has called for completing the enrolment of all nurses and issuing National Unique Identity (NUID) cards within six months. The Indian Nursing Council (INC) has been working with State Nursing Councils to verify nurses and provide NUID cards and Nurse Passbooks, but nursing organizations argue that the uneven rollout undermines the purpose of creating a centralized digital registry.

The Indian Professional Nurses Association (IPNA) alleges that some State Nursing Registration Councils still process registrations through their own systems, causing delays and financial exploitation of nurses. The INC maintains that the responsibility for registration lies with State Councils and is taking concerns seriously, but IPNA claims the Council has failed to take concrete steps to make the portal fully functional.