- Law
- Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act, 1994 and Rules
- Registering authority
- District Appropriate Authority
- Key record
- Form F for every pregnant woman scanned, plus registers and reports to the authority
- Penalty (Section 23)
- Up to 3 years' imprisonment and a fine up to ₹10,000 for a first offence; higher for repeat offences
Registration
Apply to the district Appropriate Authority with details of the facility, equipment (make, model and serial number), qualified staff and fees, using the forms prescribed under the PC-PNDT Rules. Registration must be in place before any ultrasound or imaging machine capable of foetal sex determination is used — and must be updated when equipment, staff or premises change. Machines must not be sold or moved without informing the authority.
Records inspectors check
- Form F fully completed for every pregnant woman scanned, with referral details and signatures
- Registers of patients and procedures, maintained and retained as prescribed
- Monthly reports to the Appropriate Authority
- Display of the registration certificate and the statutory notice that sex determination is not done and is punishable
- Qualifications of the doctors performing scans, as required by the Rules
Penalties
Under Section 23, a first offence can mean up to three years' imprisonment and a fine up to ₹10,000, with longer imprisonment and higher fines for repeat convictions. Under Section 27, every offence is cognisable, non-bailable and non-compoundable. Many prosecutions arise from paperwork lapses rather than intent, which is why complete records matter.
We register new centres, renew and modify existing registrations, and audit Form F and registers before NABH, empanelment or district inspections.
Frequently asked questions
Who needs PC-PNDT registration?
Every genetic counselling centre, genetic laboratory, genetic clinic, ultrasound clinic and imaging centre with equipment capable of detecting foetal sex must register with the district Appropriate Authority under the PC-PNDT Act before using the equipment — including hospitals with an ultrasound machine.
What is the penalty for violating the PC-PNDT Act?
Under Section 23, a first offence can attract imprisonment of up to three years and a fine of up to ₹10,000, with longer imprisonment and higher fines for subsequent convictions. Section 27 makes every offence under the Act cognisable, non-bailable and non-compoundable.
What is Form F under PC-PNDT?
Form F is the record that must be filled for every pregnant woman undergoing ultrasonography or other prenatal diagnostic procedures, signed by the doctor and kept as prescribed. Incomplete Form F is one of the commonest violations found in inspections.
Official sources
Fees and rules change. Always confirm on the official page before you apply.
Get a free gap assessment for your facility
Tell us your facility type, bed or chair count and city. Dr. Ashutosh Sharma will tell you which NABH programme fits, what it will cost and how long it will realistically take — before you commit to anything.
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