Bengaluru: Karnataka Minister for Medical Education and Skill Development Sharan Prakash Patil on Friday announced that admissions to physiotherapy courses will now come under the purview of NEET, aligning with the nation-al move towards standardised medical education.

Additionally, the course duration has been extended to five years to enable competency-based learning and deeper clinical exposure, he said. Speak-ing at the inauguration of Karnataka Physiocon-25, an international confer-ence on physiotherapy held here, Patil expressed the state government’s support for including physiotherapy course admissions under the ambit of NEET.

“We welcome the integration of physiotherapy courses under NEET, which will enhance academic quality and professional standards,” he was quoted as saying in a statement. Addressing over 10,000 students at the event, Patil highlighted the pivotal role physiotherapists play across the healthcare spectrum—from childbirth to elderly care.

“Physiotherapists today contribute significantly to neuro and orthopaedic rehab, cardiopulmonary care, paediatrics, disability support, sports medi-cine, fitness, and community-based care,” he noted. He also detailed the state’s plans to introduce physiotherapy courses in more government col-leges to meet the growing domestic and international demand for trained professionals.

Present at the event, Yagna Shukla, Chairperson of the National Commis-sion for Allied and Health Professionals, said the commission was planning to introduce the One Nation, One Curriculum initiative in physiotherapy ed-ucation. She said the curriculum reforms would set a golden standard and elevate the profession, offering far-reaching benefits for students and prac-titioners alike.

The conference saw participation from global experts, with speakers from Israel, Australia, and Nepal, alongside 50 national experts sharing insights with delegates. Over 800 research papers were presented during the event, making it one of the largest platforms for physiotherapy professionals in the region.