SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir is rapidly expanding its nursing education sector, with nearly 50 nursing colleges now functional and a total intake capacity of 3,040 students, alongside thousands more enrolled in paramedical courses across the Union Territory. Against this backdrop, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo on Thursday chaired a comprehensive review of the sector, stressing that nursing formed the backbone of the healthcare delivery system and required urgent strengthening in quality and standards.
At the meeting, attended by senior health officials, principals of medical and nursing colleges, and representatives of allied councils, the Chief Secretary directed that diploma-level courses be gradually upgraded to degree and postgraduate programmes. He called for the operationalisation of nursing colleges in Sopore, Kulgam, Shopian, and Budgam at the earliest, and asked officials to explore the feasibility of setting up similar institutions in districts still without such facilities.
Highlighting the importance of quality teaching, Dulloo said only well-qualified faculty should be engaged in these colleges. He called for framing recruitment rules for nursing colleges, filling up vacancies through recruitment agencies, and creating additional posts wherever required. He also stressed the need to phase out obsolete courses that no longer contributed meaningfully to patient care, while introducing new courses aligned with emerging healthcare needs.
Reviewing the newly established JK State Allied and Healthcare Council, he instructed that it be strengthened with adequate manpower and robust monitoring mechanisms, in line with guidelines of the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP).
Presenting an overview, Health and Medical Education Secretary Dr Syed Abid Rashid Shah informed that in the past year alone, 360 new B.Sc Nursing seats, 80 Post Basic B.Sc Nursing seats, and 25 M.Sc Nursing seats had been added across the UT. From the next academic session, Nursing College Jammu will offer 60 additional Post Basic B.Sc Nursing seats, he added.
Currently, eight institutions in JK offer 233 M.Sc Nursing seats, while 14 institutions cater to 805 Post Basic B.Sc Nursing students. Beyond this, over 5,600 General Nursing and Midwifery (GNM), 5,200 Female Multipurpose Health Worker (FMPHW), and 2,300 Male Multipurpose Health Worker (MMPHW) students are enrolled across dozens of institutes.
Registrar of the JK Nursing Council, Dr Sandeep Singh, reported that examinations for 14,738 paramedical candidates had been successfully conducted and noted the recognition of 28 new pharmacy institutions with an intake of 1,800 seats in Diploma in Pharmacy, now mandatory for obtaining drug licenses.
Chairperson of the JK Allied and Healthcare Council, Dr Sabhiya Majid, explained that the NCAHP Act, 2021—brought into force following Supreme Court directions—mandated strict regulation of allied and healthcare professions, covering 10 recognised categories spanning 57 professions, with scope for further expansion.
Reiterating the government’s commitment, Dulloo said strengthening nursing education and allied healthcare systems was crucial to meeting the region’s growing healthcare demands, enhancing patient care, and creating a skilled workforce to serve the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
