by Umaima Reshi
SRINAGAR: Nursing has long been described as the heart of healthcare. It is not only a profession but also a calling rooted in service to humanity. Nurses combine science with empathy, ensuring that patients are not only treated but also cared for. Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing, once remarked that nursing was an art requiring exclusive devotion and preparation equal to that of painters and sculptors.
In today’s fast-paced medical environment, where technology often eclipses the human touch, nurses remain the steady hands and voices that provide reassurance in times of despair. They balance skill with kindness, an idea echoed by the American poet Maya Angelou, who observed, “They may forget your name, but they will never forget how you made them feel.”
For those who choose it, nursing is not simply a career. It is a lifelong commitment to healing, advocacy, and humanity.
The Vital Role of Nurses
Nursing is dynamic, rewarding, and central to healthcare systems across the globe. Nurses are often the first point of contact for patients. They ask questions, check vital signs, explain treatments, and administer injections. They stand by the sick, the injured, and the disabled.
Beyond direct care, they bridge the gap between doctors and patients. They act as advocates and educators, guiding families through illnesses and challenges. The field continues to expand as populations age and health demands rise. From paediatrics to psychiatric care, from military nursing to forensic and travel nursing, the opportunities are diverse.
Jammu and Kashmir is witnessing rapid expansion in its nursing education sector. Nearly 50 nursing colleges are now functional, with an intake capacity of 3,040 students. Thousands more are enrolled in paramedical courses.
On September 18, 2025, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo chaired a high-level review meeting, calling nursing the backbone of healthcare delivery and stressing the urgent need to raise both quality and standards. The meeting was attended by senior health officials, principals of medical and nursing colleges, and representatives of allied councils.
Dulloo directed that diploma-level courses be upgraded to degree and postgraduate programmes. He also urged the swift operationalisation of nursing colleges in Sopore, Kulgam, Shopian, and Budgam, while exploring the possibility of new institutions in underserved districts.
He insisted that faculty appointments must meet high standards. Recruitment rules, he said, should be framed without delay, vacancies filled through recruitment agencies, and additional posts created where necessary. He also called for phasing out obsolete courses that no longer served patient care and introducing new ones aligned with modern healthcare needs.
Expanding Seats and Institutions
Providing an overview, Health and Medical Education Secretary Dr Syed Abid Rashid Shah said that in the past year alone, 360 new BSc Nursing seats, 80 Post Basic BSc Nursing seats, and 25 MSc Nursing seats had been created. From the next academic session, Nursing College Jammu will add 60 more Post Basic BSc Nursing seats.
Currently, eight institutions across the Union Territory offer 233 MSc Nursing seats, while 14 institutions cater to 805 Post Basic BSc Nursing students. More than 5,600 students are enrolled in General Nursing and Midwifery programmes, 5,200 in Female Multipurpose Health Worker courses, and 2,300 in Male Multipurpose Health Worker courses.
Registrar of the Jammu and Kashmir Nursing Council, Dr Sandeep Singh, said examinations had recently been held for 14,738 paramedical candidates. He also confirmed that 28 new pharmacy institutions had been recognised with 1,800 seats for the Diploma in Pharmacy, now mandatory for drug licences.
Strengthening Allied Healthcare
The Chief Secretary also reviewed the functioning of the Jammu and Kashmir State Allied and Healthcare Council. He directed that it be strengthened with adequate manpower and monitoring mechanisms in line with guidelines issued by the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP).
Chairperson of the Council, Dr Sabhiya Majid, explained that the NCAHP Act of 2021 was enacted following directions from the Supreme Court to strictly regulate allied healthcare professions. It currently covers 10 recognised categories across 57 professions, with scope for expansion.
Reiterating the government’s position, Dulloo emphasised that strengthening nursing education and allied healthcare is essential to meeting the region’s growing healthcare needs, improving patient care, and creating a skilled workforce.
Nursing remains one of the rare careers where skill meets soul. It is not simply about dressing wounds or monitoring signs but about touching lives in ways that often defy measurement. Every shift carries the power to change a story. Every patient is a reminder of why the world will always need nurses.
