Inspection at nursing colleges stopped following clash between minister and council members

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The government has temporarily stopped the inspection after the Nursing Council members and the Health Minister clashed over the inspection in the state's nursing colleges. As per directions, inspections will be resumed only after the legal department examines the matter and appoints a new committee. The action was taken considering the position of the nursing college managements that the inspection by the council members was illegal.

Meanwhile, the council members are moving to challenge the government's action in court. With this, it is certain that the inspections to be held this month and next month will be delayed before the admission of the next academic year. This will affect the admission process.

From 2021, Nursing Council members were part of inspections. The council meeting, which includes them, examines this report and takes action. Earlier, the management had come forward pointing out that it is illegal for the same persons to go for inspection and evaluate the report.

Regarding this, there was a heated argument between the council members and the minister in the meeting held at the office of Minister Veena George on March 18. The council members said that because they were leaving, the problems in the colleges were coming to light and that they were not in the inspection team to act as the management wanted. However, the minister's remark that the council members were going to take bribes led to an altercation. Then it was decided to leave the matter to the legal department.

Affiliation crisis

The Nursing Council renews the affiliation of each college by conducting an inspection before June and ensuring the infrastructure and number of teachers. The admission to the next academic year can be done only after that. The more the inspection is delayed, the more the action will be delayed. In the same way, the inspection conducted in the health university colleges was completed.