Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo chaired a high-level meeting to comprehensively review the quality and standards of nursing education across Jammu and Kashmir, emphasizing that nursing is the backbone of the healthcare delivery system.
The meeting was attended by senior officials, including Secretary, Health & Medical Education (H&ME); principals of GMCs Jammu and Srinagar; Chairperson of the J&K Allied & Healthcare Council (A&HCC); Registrar of the J&K Nursing Council; principals of various nursing colleges, and other stakeholders.
Key Directives and Highlights:
Upgrade Diploma to Degree/Postgraduate Courses: Chief Secretary directed that diploma-level nursing courses be progressively upgraded to B.Sc and M.Sc programmes to build advanced capacities in the sector.
Fast-track Completion of Colleges: Nursing colleges at Sopore, Kulgam, Shopian, and Budgam are to be completed and operationalized at the earliest, with feasibility studies to expand colleges in remaining districts.
Revise Course Offerings: Obsolete courses are to be phased out, and new programs aligned with modern healthcare needs introduced.
Qualified Faculty and Recruitment Rules: Only well-qualified faculty should be appointed. Recruitment Rules must be framed, vacancies filled via recruitment agencies, and new posts created where required.
Strengthen Allied Healthcare Council: The J&K State Allied & Healthcare Council (SA&HC) will be further strengthened with manpower and robust monitoring mechanisms, in line with NCAHP guidelines.
Progress Report:
Expanded Seat Capacity: Over the past year, 360 new B.Sc Nursing, 80 Post Basic B.Sc Nursing, and 25 M.Sc Nursing seats have been added across J&K.
Future Plans: From the next academic session, Nursing College Jammu will introduce 60 additional Post Basic B.Sc Nursing seats.
Current Capacity: J&K has around 50 Nursing Colleges with a total of 3,040 seats. Additionally:
institutions offer 233 M.Sc Nursing seats
14 institutions offer 805 Post Basic B.Sc Nursing seats
oThousands are enrolled in GNM, FMPHW, and MMPHW courses
Registrar Dr. Sandeep Singh noted successful exams for 14,738 paramedical candidates, and recognition of 28 new Pharmacy institutions with 1,800 Diploma in Pharmacy seats—now mandatory for drug licenses.
Chairperson Dr. Sabhiya Majid elaborated on the National Commission for Allied & Healthcare Professions (NCAHP) Act, 2021, highlighting its mandate to regulate standards, assess institutions, and maintain professional registers across 57 recognized professions under 10 categories.
Chief Secretary Dulloo concluded by reaffirming the government’s commitment to strengthening nursing and allied healthcare education, vital for improving patient care, addressing growing healthcare demands, and creating a skilled workforce in Jammu and Kashmir.
