CNE in India: Nursing Council credit requirements and online CNE rules
Introduction
Continuing Nursing Education (CNE) supports lifelong learning by helping nurses maintain and enhance their professional knowledge and clinical skills. As healthcare continues to evolve, ongoing education is essential to deliver safe, evidence-based, high-quality patient care.
In India, the Indian Nursing Council (INC) provides the national framework for CNE. State Nursing Councils apply this framework through their own registration-renewal, programme-approval and credit-recording processes.
The CNE requirements and learning activities described in this guide are based on the Indian Nursing Council’s Nurses Registration and Tracking System (NRTS) Regulations, 2019, as well as published guidance from State Nursing Councils.
National CNE requirement
The INC/NRTS framework links registration or licence renewal every five years to 150 hours of CNE.
State variation
Some State Nursing Councils record this as 30 CNE credits, while Andhra Pradesh and Telangana use a 75-credit system. Other Councils use their own credit-point or credit-hour approach.
Recognised learning activities
CNE may include conferences, workshops, clinical-skills training, presentations, publications, online courses and recognised higher study.
Online learning
Online CNE can support theory-based education, case-based learning and guideline updates. Whether an online activity is accepted for CNE credit depends on the relevant State Nursing Council.
Nurses can benefit from interdisciplinary continuing education that supports safe patient care, clinical decision-making and prevention. CMEPEDIA courses may be relevant to nurses working in areas such as vaccination, emergency care, preventive health and patient education.
The European Board accredits some CMEPEDIA activities for Accreditation of Continuing Education for Health Professionals (EBAC). When a course is EBAC-accredited, the accreditation details and applicable EBAC credits appear on the individual course page.
EBAC accreditation does not automatically mean that a course will count towards State Nursing Council CNE renewal requirements. Nurses should follow the approval and credit-recognition requirements of their own State Nursing Council.
State Nursing Council guidance recognises several ways in which nurses may take part in Continuing Nursing Education.
Conferences, seminars and workshops
Structured educational programmes that allow nurses to update their knowledge, discuss current clinical issues and learn from faculty and peers.
Clinical skills-update training
Hands-on education, including skills training such as BCLS and ACLS, simulation and supervised clinical demonstration.
Presentations and professional contribution
Nurses may earn credit by speaking at approved programmes, presenting an oral paper or poster, chairing a scientific session or helping to organise an approved CNE activity.
Publications and academic work
Eligible activities may include publishing articles or case reports, writing nursing textbooks or chapters, editing indexed journals and completing recognised higher study.
Online CNE
Approved online modules, webinars, virtual scientific training and other remote learning activities may be recognised, depending on the State Nursing Council’s policy.
Under the Indian Nursing Council (Nurses Registration and Tracking System) Regulations, 2019, registered nursing personnel renew their registration or licence every five years. Renewal is linked to 150 hours of CNE
The NRTS Regulations apply to:
- Registered Nurses and Registered Midwives
- Registered Auxiliary Nurse Midwives
- Registered Lady Health Visitors
Some State Nursing Councils express 150 hours as 30 CNE credits, where one credit equals five learning hours. However, this is not the only credit system used in India.
| State/jurisdiction | CNE requirement for renewal | Online CNE |
|---|---|---|
| Andhra Pradesh | 75 CNE credits over 5 years. Mandatory implementation applies from 1 January 2026. | Accepted from eligible government, university and APNMC-approved providers. |
| Arunachal Pradesh | 150 CNE hours before expiry of the 5-year registration period; 120 hours if renewal is submitted within 3 months after expiry. | No separate policy identified in the guidance reviewed. |
| Assam | 30 CNE credits / 150 CNE hours during the previous 5 years. | Online modules are recognised. |
| Bihar | No state-specific CNE credit or hour requirement was identified on the official Council website reviewed. | No policy identified. |
| Chhattisgarh | No state-specific CNE credit or hour requirement was identified on the official Council website reviewed. | No policy identified. |
| Delhi | 150 CNE credit hours over 5 years, generally shown as 30 credit hours per year. | Accepted for Delhi Nursing Council-accredited programmes. |
| Goa | 30 CNE credits / 150 CNE hours over 5 years. | Goa Nursing Council-approved online programmes are eligible. |
| Gujarat | No state-specific CNE credit or hour requirement was identified on the official Council website reviewed. | No policy identified. |
| Haryana | No state-specific CNE credit or hour requirement was identified on the official Council website reviewed. | No policy identified. |
| Himachal Pradesh | The Council website did not list a state-specific CNE requirement at the time of review. | No separate policy available. |
| Jammu and Kashmir | We did not identify a separate CNE credit or hour requirement in the publicly available Council material reviewed. | No separate policy available. |
| Jharkhand | No state-specific CNE credit or hour requirement was identified on the official Council website reviewed. | No policy identified. |
| Karnataka | KSNC awards 1 point per theory hour and 2 points per practical or skills-training hour. The Council website reviewed did not publish a total renewal requirement. | Accepted for approved programmes. |
| Kerala | KNMC awards CNE credit hours for approved programmes for renewal. A total credit or hour requirement was not published on the Council website reviewed. | No separate policy identified. |
| Ladakh | A separate CNE credit or hour requirement was not identified in the publicly available material reviewed. | No separate policy identified. |
| Madhya Pradesh | No state-specific CNE credit or hour requirement was identified on the official Council website reviewed. | No policy identified. |
| Maharashtra | 150 CNE/CPD credit hours over 5 years. Transitional requirements apply to some newly registered nurses. | At least 60% offline and up to 40% online for Maharashtra residents. |
| Manipur | No state-specific CNE credit or hour requirement was identified on the official Council website reviewed. | No policy identified. |
| Meghalaya | No state-specific CNE credit or hour requirement was identified on the official Council website reviewed. | No policy identified. |
| Mizoram | No state-specific CNE credit or hour requirement was identified on the official Council website reviewed. | No policy identified. |
| Nagaland | 30 CNE credits / 150 CNE hours over 5 years, including at least 30 and up to 60 hours per year. | Council approval is required. |
| Odisha | No state-specific CNE credit or hour requirement was identified on the official Council website reviewed. | Online CNE is accepted; no separate credit limit was published. |
| Punjab | No state-specific CNE credit or hour requirement was identified on the official Council website reviewed. | No policy identified. |
| Rajasthan | No state-specific CNE credit or hour requirement was identified on the official Council website reviewed | No policy identified. |
| Sikkim | No state-specific CNE credit or hour requirement was identified on the official Council website reviewed | No policy identified. |
| Tamil Nadu | 30 CNE credits / 150 CNE hours over 5 years. | TNNMC-approved online programmes are eligible. |
| Telangana | 75 CNE credits over 5 years. | Accepted from eligible government, university and TGNMC-approved providers. |
| Tripura | 30 CNE credits / 150 CNE hours over 5 years, including at least 30 and up to 60 hours per year. | Council approval is required. |
| Uttar Pradesh | No state-specific CNE credit or hour requirement was identified on the official Council website reviewed. | No policy identified. |
| Uttarakhand | No state-specific CNE credit or hour requirement was identified on the official Council website reviewed. | No policy identified. |
| West Bengal | CNE is required to renew NUID/registration. A numerical requirement was not published on the Council website reviewed. | Certificates can be submitted or updated through the WBNC/NRTS process. |
Where no state-specific requirement is listed, this does not mean that CNE is not required. It means that a clear CNE credit, CNE-hour or online-CNE rule was not published on the official Council website reviewed.
The table below is the INC guideline schedule published and adopted by the Goa Nursing Council. Nagaland publishes a substantially similar schedule.
It should not be treated as the exact credit schedule for every state. Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Maharashtra use different credit systems or allocations.
| Academic activity | INC guideline allocation adopted by Goa |
|---|---|
| Conference, workshop, seminar or symposium | 5 hours / 1 credit per day. Minimum 5 hours of scientific sessions; maximum 30 hours. |
| Clinical skills update workshop, including BCLS or ACLS | 10 hours / 2 credits per day. Maximum 30 hours. |
| Speaker, oral-paper presenter or poster presenter | 10 hours / 2 credits. Awarded once for the same presentation topic. |
| CNE or scientific session at an official professional-association meeting | 5 hours / 1 credit per day. Minimum 5 hours of scientific sessions. |
| Chairperson or moderator of a scientific or plenary session | 5 hours / 1 credit per session, up to 2 credits per day. |
| Organising secretary or chairperson of an approved scientific programme | 10 hours / 2 credits per programme. |
| Original article or case report in an indexed journal | 10 hours / 2 credits for the first or second author; 5 hours / 1 credit from the third author onwards. |
| Book review | 5 hours / 1 credit. |
| Nursing textbook | 25 hours / 5 credits for the first or second author; 5 hours / 1 credit from the third author onwards. |
| Chapter in a nursing textbook | 10 hours / 2 credits for the first or second author; 5 hours / 1 credit from the third author onwards. |
| Revision of a professional textbook | 10 hours / 2 credits for the first or second author; 5 hours / 1 credit from the third author onwards. |
| Chief editor of an indexed journal | 10 hours / 2 credits per issue. |
| Executive or contributory editor | 5 hours / 1 credit per issue. |
| Virtual scientific training: moderator | 2.5 hours / 0.5 credit per session, up to 5 hours / 1 credit. |
| Virtual scientific training: organiser or presenter | 5 hours / 1 credit, up to 10 hours / 2 credits. |
| Virtual scientific training: participant | 2.5 hours / 0.5 credit, up to 5 hours / 1 credit. |
| Completing an online CNE module | Up to 5 hours / 1 credit per module, or as prescribed in the approved course curriculum. |
| Developing an online CNE module | 15 hours / 3 credits per module. |
| Recognised higher-study programme of one year or more | 150 hours / 30 credits. |
| Distance programme of one year or more without contact sessions | 75 hours / 15 credits. |
| Distance programme of one year or more with contact sessions | 100 hours / 20 credits. |
| Online certificate programme of one year or more | 50 hours / 10 credits. |
| Regular nursing or health-related course of up to 3 months | 30 hours / 6 credits. |
| Regular nursing or health-related course of up to 6 months | 60 hours / 12 credits. |
| Online nursing or health-related certificate course without contact sessions, up to 3 months | 15 hours / 3 credits. |
| Online nursing or health-related certificate course without contact sessions, up to 6 months | 30 hours / 6 credits (half weightage). |
| Online nursing or health-related certificate course with contact sessions, up to 3 months | 40 hours / 8 credits. |
| Online nursing or health-related certificate course with contact sessions, up to 6 months | 55 hours / 11 credits, including an additional 25 hours for contact sessions. |
Karnataka
KSNC uses credit points: 1 point per theory hour and 2 points per practical or skills-training hour. It sets programme-level maximums of 4 points for a half-day programme, 8 for one day, 16 for two days and 22 for three days. KSNC does not publish a total number of points required for renewal.
Tamil Nadu
TNNMC uses credit hours. One hour of theory learning equals 1 credit hour, while one hour of hands-on, skills-based or simulation-based learning equals 2 credit hours.
Andhra Pradesh and Telangana
These Councils use a 75-credit requirement over five years rather than a 30-credit / 150-hour model.
Maharashtra
The Maharashtra Nursing Council requires 150 CNE/CPD credit hours over five years for registration renewal. Nurses registered in Maharashtra must complete at least 60% of these hours offline , while up to 40% may be completed through approved online CNE/CPD programmes.
Nurses residing outside Maharashtra or India may complete up to 100% online. Transitional requirements apply to newly registered nurses, with the number of required hours depending on the date of first registration.
Live CNE remains important for clinical-skills training, simulation and supervised demonstration. However, online CNE can support theory-based learning, including guideline updates, case-based learning and lectures.
Online learning can make professional development more accessible for nurses who work shifts or live far from training centres. It should complement—not replace—live learning where hands-on practice or supervised assessment is needed.
As digital learning develops, online and blended CNE can help make continuing education more accessible to nurses across India. The most appropriate learning format will depend on the subject, the learning outcome and the requirements of the relevant State Nursing Council.
References
- Indian Nursing Council. Nurses Registration and Tracking System Regulations, 2019.
- Indian Nursing Council. Gazette Notifications.
- Indian Nursing Council. Workshops and Online Modules with CNE Hours.
- Andhra Pradesh Nurses and Midwives Council. CNE Guidelines.
- Goa Nursing Council. Continuing Nursing Education Guidelines.
- Karnataka State Nursing Council. CNE Portal.
- Maharashtra Nursing Council. Circulars.
- Nagaland Nursing Council. CNE Guidelines.
- Tamil Nadu Nurses and Midwives Council. CNE Guidelines.
- West Bengal Nursing Council. Renewal Registration.
