Notice issued on plea to check nursing colleges

The Division Bench comprising Justice MM Sundresh and Justice R Mahadevan before whom a public interest litigation was moved in this regard directed both the nursing councils and the Regional Director, Department of Employment and Training and other health department authorities of Thanjavur, Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam to file their reply within eight weeks.

The petitioner Varaaki alleging that most of the nursing colleges are running without approval and are also operating catering courses on the same premises without proper infrastructure facilities, submitted that these institutions have been admitting students from backward and most backward communities in large numbers. 

The petitioner further alleged that these institutions are present mostly in Thanjavur, Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam districts proclaiming through advertisements that they have obtained approval from BSS (Bharathiya Seva Samaj) and NCVRT (National Council for Vocational Research and Training).

He also submitted that both the above organisations were neither the governing body nor part of state government but mere private entities like a private trust. 

“Though they fail to come under the purview of Indian Nursing Council Act, 1947, they are offering approval to such fake institutions,” the petitioner said. These institutions apart from collecting fees from the students also get subsidy from the state government for admitting students as part of Scheduled Caste and Tribes and thus swindle the public exchequer as well, the petitioner alleged. 

The plea also claimed that these institutions are mushrooming in the delta region and that his representations about these bogus institutions had failed to evoke any response. It also noted that with tenth standard results being declared many students are approaching these institutes on the fond hope of finding a job later not realising that they are studying in unrecognised institutes.