Anuj Arora
The COVID 19 has forced and made us realize the importance of healthcare infrastructure and adequate health force. With Second Wave showing signs of settling down and experts believing the third wave is inevitable it becomes even more necessary we are better prepared and equipped for the future.
* JK Paramedical Council came into existence from 12th November 2013 in the State (now UT) to regulate Teaching and Training programmes, practice by Paramedical Practitioners and Institutions imparting paramedical education. The paramedical council through various Government and private institutes offers more than 40 courses to students and their examination and professional registration is carried out by the Council as per the calendar of events released yearly. The selection process was also carried out by the JK Paramedical Council till 2019 before it was handed over to JK BOPEE after the formation of JKUT. The JK Paramedical Council played a significant role in streamlining Nursing and Paramedical Education in JK State as students and institutes suffered due to frequent delays in conducting of the examinations and declaration of their results before the formation of the paramedical council in the state.
* As per SRO 505 dated 20.08.2019 issued post JK Reorganization 2019, it was decided the admissions to various nursing and para-medical courses will be carried out in centralized manner through JKBOPEE. The JKBOPEE requested the Government through the communication dated 02/09/2019 to provide the details of the institutions imparting various courses with approved seat capacity, admission criteria like minimum marks, subjects, reservation policy to enable them to conduct entrance examinations for which aspirants were charged Rs. 500 per candidate. JK BOPEE failed to conduct the entrance exams after postponing the examinations citing COVID 19 in 2020
* It’s imperative here to mention that there are 24 Government paramedical schools and 83 private operated schools with approximately 10,000 seats in various disciplines for which selection were done as per the academic record through various rounds of counseling. After many rounds, JK BOPEE was only able to fill 10-12 % seats and mostly in Government institutions. There was no involvement of any private institutions or their representatives while counseling was being held. This had resulted in students with no knowledge of institutions status or the quality of education being diverted to Government colleges. As a result, the private institutions which were able to fill on an average 50 percent of the allotted strength on their own before JKBOPEE took over the reins, received negligible number of candidates though JKBOPEE for 2020-21 session resulting in significant loss of students academic year and financial loss to institutions locally
* The students which were unable to fill up their forms on time or were waiting for the 10th and 12th board results to be declared were dependent on the private institutions for their rescue and save one vital academic year. The private colleges which were admitting students earlier as per the guidelines issued by the Govt. and the paramedical council were unable to do so from 2020-21 session as there was no guideline to admit students for the leftover seats after completion of first round of counseling by the JKBOPEE. This has led to loss of time for the students who are looking at other states for the same courses. In addition, there is also loss of employment as the institutions are unable to employ academic and non academic staff. Furthermore, there is also financial burden on the institutions that have been paying the staff and teaching faculty amidst COVID pandemic.
* With JK Paramedical council asking all the colleges to apply for the NOC for running these courses in June 2021 and depositing Rs. 50,000 per year and employing teaching staff, infrastructure requirements such as academic and accommodation facilities as per the guidelines issued by the Indian Nursing Council (INC) and the affiliation fees the financial situation has worsened for the owners of the institutions with no support from the Government.
* The students have been approaching the private colleges for the admissions but with no guidelines for the leftover seats from the Government the future of the colleges and students of JK looks quite bleak. The JK BOPEE has already started with the procedure for 2021-22 sessions with no clarity for the session 2020-21 session left over seats.
* The private colleges have also approached high court of JK for the timely intervention where the Government was directed to consider the concerns of private college owners but to no avail. The similar order for the leftover seats was issued to polytechnics where they were asked to carry out admissions on their own for the seats fell vacant after counseling. As per the sources, the all paramedical College association of JK has tried approaching the Health & Medical Education Department for streamlining the procedure and addressing other concerns faced by the students and College association but no action has been taken except citing covid 19 as the reason for the delay in issuance of the order
* Are Paramedical and Nursing Institutions staring at the same destiny as the B.Ed. Colleges of Jammu region? Do all Government institutions meet the guidelines laid down by the Indian Nursing Council as expected from the private institution in terms of staff and infrastructure
Major Issues
* Generation of unemployment in Nursing Private sector as nursing tutors/staff nurses were left with no jobs in teaching sector
* Students looking at colleges outside their states to save their career and academic year
* Financial Burden on Private Colleges
* No clarity/vacant left over seats
* No support from JKBOPEE and Health and Medical Education Dept. for left over vacant seats.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
