(1) No person shall establish a new nursing and midwifery institution, or start any postgraduate course, or increase number of seats, without obtaining prior permission of the Nursing and Midwifery Assessment and Rating Board:
Provided that the Nursing and Midwifery Assessment and Rating Board shall consult the Nursing and Midwifery Undergraduate and Postgraduate Education Board before according or refusing to accord such permission.
(2) For the purposes of obtaining permission under sub-section (1), a person may submit a proposal to the Nursing and Midwifery Assessment and Rating Board in such form, containing such particulars, accompanied by such fee, and in such manner, as may be specified by regulations.
(3) The Nursing and Midwifery Assessment and Rating Board shall, having due regard to the criteria specified in section 22, consider the proposal received under sub-section (2) and either approve or disapprove such proposal within a period of six months from the date of such receipt:
Provided that before disapproving such proposal, an opportunity to rectify the defects, if any, shall be given to the person concerned.
(4) Where a proposal is approved under sub-section (3), such approval shall be deemed to be the permission under sub-section (1) to establish a new nursing and midwifery institution or start any postgraduate course or increase number of seats, as the case may be.
(5) Where a proposal is disapproved under sub-section (3), or where no decision is taken within six months of submitting a proposal under sub-section (2), the person concerned may prefer an appeal to the National Commission for approval of that proposal within fifteen days of such disapproval or, as the case may be, lapse of six months, in such manner as may be specified by regulations.
(6) The National Commission shall decide the appeal received under sub-section (5) within a period of forty-five days from the date of receipt of the appeal and in case the National Commission approves the proposal, such approval shall be the permission under sub-section (1) to establish a new nursing and midwifery institution or start any postgraduate course or increase number of seats, as the case may be, and in case the National Commission disapproves the proposal, or fails to give its decision within the specified period, the person concerned may prefer a second appeal to the Central Government within thirty days of communication of such disapproval or, as the case may be, after the lapse of specified period.
Explanation.--For the purposes of this section, the term "person" includes a University, trust or any other association of persons or body of individuals, but does not include the Central Government.