NEW DELHI: Calling for a sweeping overhaul of India’s caregiving ecosystem, Niti Aayog on Wednesday recommended a national report, a dedicated regulatory body, standardised training, stronger social security and technology-enabled services to meet rising domestic care needs and position the country as a global hub for skilled caregivers.
In the report, titled ‘Reimagining Care: Strategies for Empowering Caregivers in Viksit Bharat@2047’, the policy think tank estimated the Indian care services market at $29.62 billion in 2023 and projected it to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.76% to reach $72.31 billion by 2030.
The report proposed the creation of a National Caregiver Council (NCC) as an apex body to regulate, standardise and professionalise caregiving services. The proposed council would oversee the accreditation of training programmes, establish national standards for caregiver education and certification, develop specialised courses, coordinate workforce planning, facilitate the international mobility of caregivers, and operate a grievance redressal mechanism.
It also recommended a National Policy on Caregiving and a National Caregiving Qualification Framework to standardise education, training, accreditation and certification while creating clear career pathways aligned with global standards.
To improve service delivery, Niti Aayog proposed a National Caregiver Registry and a digital portal to connect caregivers with care seekers while maintaining records of accredited agencies and blacklisted service providers. It also recommended expanding caregiver training through digital platforms such as SWAYAM, DIKSHA and iGOT Karmayogi.
Recognising that caregiving in India remains largely informal, the report called for greater support for family and community caregivers through short-term training, Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), counselling, respite care and mental health support. It also proposed introducing care leave, workplace sensitisation programmes and measures to reduce the disproportionate unpaid care burden on women.
The report urged the government to formally recognise caregiving as an allied profession with defined roles, fair wages, job security and social security benefits. It recommended extending welfare schemes and legal protections, including insurance, healthcare, occupational safety and coverage under the Unorganised Workers framework.
To build a globally competitive workforce, the report advocated specialised training in geriatric, dementia, mental health, palliative and long-term care, along with language and cultural competency programmes. It also recommended expanding bilateral agreements with countries such as Japan, Germany, the UK and Australia to facilitate ethical overseas placements, recognition of qualifications and caregiver mobility.
Source: The Financial Express
