New Delhi, October 23: President Droupadi Murmu has delegated powers to the Lieutenant Governors and administrators of all Union Territories to exercise specified functions of the State Government under the National Dental Commission Act, 2023, within their respective jurisdictions.
The Ministry of Home Affairs announced the decision through an official notification covering the National Capital Territory of Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Jammu and Kashmir, Puducherry, Chandigarh, Ladakh and Lakshadweep.
According to the order issued under Clause (1) of Article 239 of the Constitution, the respective administrators, whether designated as Lieutenant Governors or administrators, will exercise the powers and discharge the functions of the State Government under Sections 29, 48 and 56 of the National Dental Commission Act, 2023.
The delegated powers will remain subject to the control of the President and continue until further orders.
The National Dental Commission Act, 2023, provides a regulatory framework for dental education and the dental profession in India. Its objectives include improving the quality and affordability of dental education and ensuring access to high-quality oral healthcare services across the country.
The Act received Presidential assent on August 11, 2023, and came into force on February 29, 2024.
The legislation established the National Dental Commission (NDC), replacing the Dental Council of India (DCI), and repealed the Dentists Act, 1948.
The new framework provides for the establishment of State Dental Councils and three autonomous boards, along with measures aimed at strengthening transparency, accountability and professional standards in dental education and practice.
Other provisions include merit-based selection, online maintenance of the National Register, a Dental Advisory Council and cooperation with other statutory healthcare regulatory bodies.
The Act also empowers the Commission to frame guidelines for determining fees for 50 per cent of seats in private dental colleges and deemed universities.
The legislation aims to strengthen the regulation of dental education, promote affordable oral healthcare and improve professional standards for dental practitioners in India.
