SHUBHANGI SHIFA
Ranchi, Mar 2: A recent investigation by the state Health Department has disclosed that several private nursing colleges have been distributing degrees to students in the state without following the proper rules and regulations. Along with this, to crack down on the undergoing forgery in nursing and paramedical colleges, the department has decided to get admission through the Board.
Sources have also claimed that notices have also been issued to 17 nursing colleges for not providing details of the total number of seats and other infrastructures. Every year these colleges distribute degrees by charging lakhs of rupees as fees from students.
Notably, former Jharkhand Governor Ramesh Bais had earlier instructed officials in the state Health Department to review the private medical colleges after admission scams in said colleges were revealed.
Meanwhile, as a result of the review and report, the health department has cancelled the registration of three nursing colleges including AV School of Nursing Kokar, Royal Professional College Tatisilwe and Angel College of Nursing. Furthermore, these colleges have been banned from taking admission to the upcoming session.
Along with this, the department will also take action against the officials who issued NOCs to these colleges despite not fulfilling the criteria. Clarification was also sought from said institutions. Information regarding the cancellation of registration is also set to be published on the Council’s website, while their names will be removed from the lists of institutions.
Sources in the health department have claimed that nursing colleges are opening in every corner these days. Such colleges are run in three-four rooms in commercial buildings. During admissions, students are given a guarantee of being given degrees after a couple of years despite having no classes.
Along with this, such colleges lack infrastructure and teachers, and because of this, nursing colleges only advertise for admission. In order to entice students, officials take entries and promise students that they will not need to attend classes, and will be given degrees with good grades despite not even sitting in examinations.
For instance, the Royal Professional College in Tatisilwe, the registration for which has been cancelled, is notably, run in 4 rooms on the ground floor of the GNM Commercial Building. Several rooms in this building have been given out for rent. A garage is also operated below the building. Despite such infrastructure, the college was provided NOC in the year 2020.
Health department officials, when questioned about the process to register a nursing college explained, “To run a nursing college, a NOC has to be obtained from the government. There is a district-level committee for this. Here, a JNRC registrar, chairman ADCA civil surgeon and engineer of the building construction department are members of the committee. The committee has to inspect the college and submit the report to the government. On the basis of this report, the committee of the health department approves the proposals, after which the Health Minister issues approval for NOC.”
The official, on the condition of anonymity further explained, “As per rules, the infrastructure of a nursing college should include a building and hostel of at least 25685 sq. feet, a teaching block of 10060 sq. ft, classrooms of 2160 sq. ft, nursing foundation lab of 1500 sq. ft, AV ADS Room 600 sq. ft, Multipurpose Hall 1500 Sq.ft, library 1200 sq. ft, staffroom 500 sq. ft among others.”
