Are Hospitals Hiring Unregistered Nurses Despite Indian Nursing Council Rules?
Cases from Bengal and Delhi raise serious patient safety concerns. Is the hiring of unregistered nurses by private hospitals a wider trend across India?
INC Rules Mandate Registration, Yet Many Private Hospitals Blatantly Flout Them
Under the regulations framed by the Indian Nursing Council (INC), the rules governing registration are unequivocal. Established under the Indian Nursing Council Act, 1947, the INC sets uniform standards of nursing education across India and mandates that only those with recognised qualifications and valid entry in a State Nursing Council register can practise as “Registered Nurse” or “Registered Midwife.”
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The INC does not directly license individuals, but it requires that every qualified nurse must be registered with the respective State Nursing Council to lawfully practise. Yet despite this clarity, mounting evidence suggests that several private hospitals are employing unregistered nurses or nurses with lapsed registration — a direct violation of statutory norms.
Also Read: Delhi High Court Flags Regulatory Failures at Saroj Hospital | Impact
The Probe had recently reported the case of Uttam Chand Meena, which brought the issue of unregistered nurses in private hospitals into sharp focus. Uttam Chand Meena's wife Gargi Meena died in Saroj Hospital in Delhi in March 2018. Meena has alleged that medical negligence killed his wife. During proceedings linked to the case, it was found that over 100 nurses in the hospital at the time of his wife's admission were not even registered with the Delhi Nursing Council. The matter reached the Delhi High Court, where the court stated that compliance with statutory requirements governing medical and nursing staff is not optional. The court stressed that regulatory safeguards exist to protect patients and cannot be reduced to paperwork formalities.
In its observations, the Delhi High Court emphasised that hospitals — including private hospitals — are duty-bound to verify that their staff hold valid registration. Failure to ensure that nurses are properly registered can amount to serious lapses in patient safety compliance. The case raised troubling questions about how unregistered nurses are able to work in clinical settings and whether oversight mechanisms are being meaningfully enforced.
The provisions of the Delhi Nursing Council are equally explicit. The Delhi Nursing Council Act clearly states that no person can practise or represent themselves as a registered nurse unless their name is entered in the State register. The Council regulates registration, renewal, and disciplinary proceedings, and bars unregistered nurses from using protected professional titles. The law leaves little room for interpretation — registration is mandatory, not discretionary.
Bengal Case Puts Nurse Registration Compliance in Focus
In another case involving Sharanya Multispeciality Hospital in Bardhaman in West Bengal, concerns were raised not only about alleged medical negligence but also about nursing registration compliance in private hospitals. The case relates to the treatment of two children, where the complaint alleged lapses in monitoring and post-procedure care that allegedly resulted in serious health complications, including vision impairment to both children. During the proceedings before the State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (SCDRC), questions were raised about whether the nursing staff in the hospital held valid registration at the time of treatment of the children.
Also Read: Medical Negligence Alleged: Vision Loss in Two Babies
Despite repeated directions from the SCDRC seeking documentary proof of nursing registration, the hospital reportedly failed to provide complete records. The Commission, expressing concern over the absence of compliance, directed hospital representatives to personally appear and clarify their position. The matter has now been listed for further hearing in April. The episode has once again brought attention to whether private hospitals are routinely employing unregistered nurses without regulatory consequences.
The issue of unregistered nurses is not a technical irregularity. Registration ensures that a nurse has completed approved education, undergone prescribed clinical training, and remains accountable to a regulatory authority. When private hospitals engage unregistered nurses, they effectively bypass the accountability framework designed to protect patients. If misconduct or negligence occurs, tracing responsibility becomes significantly more difficult.
Why would private hospitals risk employing unregistered nurses? Health sector analysts point to financial pressures. Hiring unregistered nurses may reduce wage costs, avoid compliance documentation, and allow more flexible contractual arrangements. In some instances, it may also reflect weak internal audits or deliberate regulatory evasion. However, the short-term savings for private hospitals can translate into long-term risks for patients, especially when unregistered nurses are entrusted with critical monitoring and medication duties.
Also Read: Madan Mohan Malviya Hospital's Medical Negligence Killed My Child: Mother
The consequences are not abstract. Gargi Meena lost her life. Mivaan and Adrita now live with vision impairment that has permanently altered their futures. In hospital settings, nurses spend the most time with patients — monitoring vitals, administering injections, identifying early warning signs, and responding to emergencies. Doctors may conduct periodic rounds, but nurses provide continuous bedside care. If unregistered nurses are deployed in private hospitals without proper verification, the consequences can be fatal or life-altering.
