HYDERABAD: The inordinate delay in establishing Telangana State nursing council is resulting in unnecessary trouble for the nursing students in the State. With the absence of a state-level body for formal registration of nursing students, the latter are worried of losing job opportunities during the upcoming recruitment drive.
After completing the auxiliary nurses and midwifery (ANM) courses, the nursing students must register themselves with the State Nursing Council in order to receive eligibility for jobs in private and government sector firms. Currently, around 5,000 nursing students who have graduated in the 2013-14 academic year in Telangana, are still waiting for their registration as there is no State Nursing Council in the State.
With several job notifications in both the State and Central governments are ready to be released in the coming months, the nursing students have rushed to Andhra Pradesh Nursing Council (APNC) for registration. However, the APNC refused to register students from Telangana citing that registration of students from other states is against their norms.
“According to the existing rules, we cannot register students who studied in other States,” an official of APNC told Express.
After bifurcation of the erstwhile United Andhra, the Telangana Department of Health Medical and Family Welfare conducted the examination for ANM nursing students and had issued certificates to those who have completed the course. With certificates issued by the Telangana Board, AP officials refuse registration for these students.
However, the APNC also suggested that the registration can be done for Telangana students at APNC if the Telangana State government makes a formal request to AP government. “We can register them only if we receive orders from our State government,” the APNC official added.
Meanwhile efforts to establish the Telangana’s Nursing Council are yet to gain ground. Earlier, the TS government had prepared a proposal to form its own medical council and nursing council after bifurcation. However, no progress has been made yet.
Putta Srinivas, director, Medical Education, Telangana, said: “We have already sent the proposal to the Indian Nursing Council (INC) for setting up our own nursing council. The process of establishing the Board will begin once we get approval from the national body.”