Nursing and Midwifery Assessment and Rating Board shall perform the following functions, namely:--
(a) the procedure for assessing and rating the nursing and midwifery institutions for their compliance with the standards laid down by the Nursing and Midwifery Undergraduate and Postgraduate Education Board, shall be such as may be specified by regulations;
(b) grant permission for establishment of a new nursing and midwifery institution, or to start any postgraduate level or higher qualification course, or to increase number of seats, in accordance with the provisions of section 21;
(c) conduct inspections of nursing and midwifery institution for assessing and rating such institutions in such manner as may be specified by regulations:
Provided that the Nursing and Midwifery Assessment and Rating Board may, if it deems necessary, hire and authorise any other inspection agency or accreditation body or persons for conducting inspections of nursing and midwifery institutions for assessing and rating such institutions:
Provided further that where inspection of nursing and midwifery institution is conducted by such inspection agency or accreditation body or persons authorised by the Nursing and Midwifery Assessment and Rating Board, it shall be obligatory on such institution to provide access to such agency or person:
Provided also that the Nursing and Midwifery Assessment and Rating Board may conduct evaluation and assessment of any nursing and midwifery institution at any time, either directly or through any other expert having integrity and experience of nursing and midwifery profession and without any prior notice and assess and evaluate the performance, standards and benchmarks of such nursing and midwifery institution;
(d) conduct, or where it deems necessary, empanel independent rating agencies to conduct, assess and rate all nursing and midwifery institutions, within such period of their opening, at such time, and in such manner as may be specified by regulations;
(e) make available on its website or in public domain the assessment and ratings of nursing and midwifery institutions at regular intervals in such manner as may be specified by regulations;
(f) take such measures, including issuing warning, imposition of monetary penalty, reducing intake or stoppage of admissions and recommending to the National Commission for withdrawal of recognition, against a nursing and midwifery institution for failure to maintain the minimum essential standards specified by the Nursing and Midwifery Undergraduate and Postgraduate Education Board, in such manner as may be specified by regulations:
Provided that the monetary penalty imposed shall not be less than one-tenth, and not more than five times, of the total amount charged, by whatever name called, by such institution for one full batch of students of undergraduate course or postgraduate course, as the case may be:
Provided further that the Nursing and Midwifery Assessment and Rating Board shall consult the Nursing and Midwifery Undergraduate and Postgraduate Education Board before recommending to the National Commission for withdrawal of recognition of a nursing and midwifery institution that fails to maintain the minimum essential standards specified by the Nursing and Midwifery Undergraduate and Postgraduate Education Board.
(2) The Nursing and Midwifery Assessment and Rating Board shall, in the discharge of its functions, make such recommendations to, and seek such directions from, the National Commission, as it may deem necessary.