THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Following several reports of Malayali students being cheated in the name of nursing education in Karnataka, the Human Rights Commission has ordered an inquiry. Commission acting chairperson K Baijunath gave the order to the state police chief, which says the report should be submitted within three weeks.

After Covid, the interest in nursing education has increased with the increase of job opportunities in the health sector in foreign countries. Most of the Malayali students come to study nursing in the colleges of Karnataka. There are around 1100 nursing colleges in Bengaluru. There are agents to place students in nursing colleges in Bengaluru. Children from normal families in Kerala are mostly getting deceived.

The fee is more than Rs 3 lakhs a year. But the fee approved by the government is only Rs.65000. One cannot get direct admissions at colleges and have to approach agents. There are allegations that the shortage of nursing seats in Kerala is driving the students to Karnataka.

Tens of thousands of children are victims of such fraud. Fake admission letters of leading colleges were given to many. Many students are cheated through admission at unrecognized colleges.