BPT Course Duration Increased to 5 Years from 2026-27

The duration of several undergraduate healthcare-related courses has been revised to improve the quality and structure of professional education. The University Grants Commission (UGC) has issued a notification regarding the changes.

Under the revised regulations, the duration of undergraduate courses in Optometry (B.Optom), Occupational Therapy (BOT) and Physiotherapy (BPT) has been increased to five years from the earlier duration of four to four-and-a-half years.

The changes will apply from the 2026-27 academic year. Postgraduate programmes in Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy will also be offered with specialised streams instead of being awarded as general degrees.

However, students who enrolled before the 2026-27 academic year will continue to receive their degrees according to the regulations that were applicable when they joined their respective courses.

The revised framework also recognises new undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in several areas, including medical laboratory-related fields, emergency care, anaesthesiology, nutrition and radiology.