The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved establishment of 157 new nursing colleges “in co-location with the existing medical colleges” established since 2014.
The step will add approximately 15,700 nursing graduates every year and is aimed at addressing the geographical and rural-urban imbalances in the healthcare sector.
Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday announced the decision and said that the government plans to complete the project within the next two years and has laid out detailed timelines for every stage of planning as well as execution of the project.
“The State Government/Union Territories will intimate the Health Ministry on a regular basis, the physical progress of the works being done for the establishment of new nursing colleges under the scheme,’’ he said.
A release issued by the Central government noted that the government has increased the number of medical colleges and subsequently increased MBBS seats in last few years. “There is an increase of around 71% in medical colleges from 387 before 2014 to 660 as of now. Further, the number of MBBS seats have almost doubled and postgraduate seats have more than doubled since 2013-14,’’ it noted.
The Minister added that the services of Indian nurses are considerably recognised in foreign countries, so it is important to bring Indian nursing education at par with the global standards in order to facilitate their mobility and better employment opportunities.
“They are recognised as highly skilled professionals and drive the healthcare delivery system, but their numerical strength is below global norms and needs to be adequately enhanced,’’ he said.
