More than two-thirds of India’s registered nurses are not yet enrolled in the Nurses Registration and Tracking System (NRTS), which was launched seven years ago. Out of 46 lakh nursing professionals, only 14.24 lakh have joined the system. This includes Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs), Registered Nurses, Lady Health Visitors (LHVs), and others.
State-wise data reveals significant gaps in implementation. For example, Karnataka has over 5.58 lakh registered nurses but only about 82,000 are enrolled. Similarly, Tamil Nadu has nearly 4.76 lakh nursing personnel, yet only 57,000 have joined the system. Other states like Andhra Pradesh and Kerala also show low enrollment rates.
However, some states have performed better. Bihar has enrolled over 62,000 of its 62,591 nurses, while Jharkhand and Odisha have achieved high enrollment rates as well.
The slow rollout has caused problems for many nurses. Those wanting to change jobs or work abroad face delays in getting necessary documents, affecting their careers. Congress MP Anto Antony recently urged the Health Minister to complete enrollment and issue identity cards within six months.
The NRTS was created to create a national registry and streamline services like registration and credential verification. However, many state councils continue to use their own systems instead of the NRTS, leading to delays and confusion.
Nursing organizations argue that this uneven implementation has weakened the system’s purpose. They claim middlemen often exploit nurses by delaying document processing or charging fees. A legal case filed in the Delhi High Court highlights these issues, calling for better accountability.
The Indian Nursing Council (INC) claims it is working to improve the system but admits delays are caused by inconsistent state participation. Nurses and advocates say more action is needed to make the NRTS fully functional and benefit all nursing professionals across India.