The difference in recognition criteria between the state government and the Indian Nursing Council threatens the future of students
Team Clarion
BHOPAL — The future of nursing education in Madhya Pradesh hangs in the balance as nearly 80 percent of the state’s nursing colleges are on the brink of closure. The root of the crisis lies in a growing dispute over the recognition criteria between the Indian Nursing Council (INC) and the state government.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court had directed that recognition for the 2024-25 academic session should follow the INC parameters, but complying with these stringent requirements may be an uphill task for most nursing colleges in the state.
The difference in the parameters set by the INC and those of the state government has led to widespread confusion and uncertainty. According to the INC, a nursing college must have at least 23,270 square feet of space to be recognised. However, the state government, in its 2018 guidelines, reduced this requirement to 18,000 square feet and further slashed it to 8,000 square feet in 2024. This significant disparity between the two sets of criteria has brought the recognition process to a standstill, endangering the future of thousands of students.
“If this issue isn’t resolved soon, not only will many colleges shut down, but the entire academic session might be lost,” said a concerned official from the nursing education sector.
The state government plans to seek clarification from the high court on which criteria should be followed for granting recognition.
The irregularities in nursing college recognition have been an ongoing issue since 2018, leading to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inspecting colleges based on the 2018 guidelines. Currently, the 2024 rules have been stayed by the court.
Adding to the urgency, the Supreme Court has mandated that admissions to nursing colleges must be completed by 30 September. Yet, the recognition process has not even begun, leaving little time for the necessary steps, such as launching a portal for applications and conducting inspections. This delay could result in the 2024-25 academic session being declared a “zero year.”
The controversy dates back to a scandal involving the opening of numerous nursing colleges during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020-21. Many of these colleges were allegedly recognised despite not meeting the required standards, including possessing 40,000 square feet of land and a 100-bed hospital, as stipulated by the Medical University and the Medical Education Department.
Vishal Baghel, the petitioner and a lawyer at the high court, submitted evidence of these irregularities, including photographs of colleges not meeting the criteria. “It’s shocking how such colleges were allowed to operate. The real victims here are the students who are left in limbo,” Baghel remarked.
Due to the ongoing legal battles, examinations in these nursing colleges have not been conducted for the past three years, leaving students frustrated and in protest, demanding promotions.
“Why should we suffer for the mistakes of the colleges? If they are at fault, then why are we being punished?” asked one of the aggrieved students during a recent protest.
As the impasse continues, pressure mounts on the state government and the INC to find a resolution ensuring that the future of nursing education in Madhya Pradesh is not jeopardised.
