Karnataka govt. cracks down on nursing colleges charging exorbitant fees
Bengaluru, Sep 2: Karnataka Medical Education Minister Sharan Prakash Patil on Monday ordered the formation of a fee regulatory committee to monitor and regulate the fee structures of nursing colleges across the state amid complaints about exorbitant fees allegedly being charged by them.
During a review meeting of nursing institutions here, Patil disclosed that his office had received numerous complaints regarding the excessive fees charged by nursing colleges, which have placed a heavy financial burden on students.
The newly constituted five-member fee regulatory committee, headed by the Joint Secretary of the Medical Education Department, will be tasked with scrutinising the fee structures, he said.
“Withdraw the Essential Certificate and Feasibility Certificate (EC&FC) of any nursing college found imposing fees beyond the government-prescribed limits,” Patil instructed department officials.
According to him, Currently, the fee structure stands at Rs 10,000 per year for students admitted under the government quota, Rs one lakh under the management quota, and Rs 1.40 lakh for non-Karnataka students.
There are 35,000 seats available across 611 nursing colleges in the state.
Patil recently rejected a request from nursing college managements to increase the fee structure by 20 per cent.
The committee’s oversight will extend to both B.Sc. Nursing and General Nursing and Midwifery (GNM) diploma programmes.
In addition, the Minister has directed the Principal Secretary of Medical Education, Mohammed Mohsin, to convene a meeting with district Deputy Commissioners to inspect the infrastructure and basic facilities at GNM colleges at the taluk and district levels.
The inspection reports are to be submitted within a month. For B.Sc. Nursing colleges, the Director of Medical Education, Dr B L Sujatha Rathod, was instructed to form a panel for inspection and submit a report promptly.
“We have received reports that many nursing colleges lack essential facilities, such as adequate teaching and non-teaching staff, libraries, laboratories, and hygiene standards. Despite charging substantial fees, they fail to provide the required facilities. Permission for such colleges should be withdrawn if they are found guilty,” Patil said during the meeting.
The Minister further directed officials to ensure that nursing institutions ran exclusively nursing courses. “Revoke the permissions of institutions that are conducting multiple courses in the same building,” he stated.
ಇಂದು ವಿಕಾಸಸೌಧದಲ್ಲಿ ವೈದ್ಯಕೀಯ ಶಿಕ್ಷಣ ಇಲಾಖೆಯ ಅಧಿಕಾರಿಗಳೊಂದಿಗೆ ಮಹತ್ವದ ಸಭೆ ನಡೆಸಿದೆ.
— Dr. Sharan Prakash Patil (@S_PrakashPatil) September 2, 2024
ರಾಜ್ಯದಲ್ಲಿರುವ ನರ್ಸಿಂಗ್ ಕಾಲೇಜುಗಳ ಶುಲ್ಕ ನಿಯಂತ್ರಣಕ್ಕೆ ಕೂಡಲೇ ಪ್ರಾಧಿಕಾರ ರಚನೆ ಮಾಡುವಂತೆ ಅಧಿಕಾರಿಗಳಿಗೆ ಸೂಚಿಸಿದೆ.
ವೈದ್ಯಕೀಯ ಶಿಕ್ಷಣ ಇಲಾಖೆಯ ಜಂಟಿ ಕಾರ್ಯದರ್ಶಿಗಳ ನೇತೃತ್ವದಲ್ಲಿ 5 ಜನ ಸದಸ್ಯರುಗಳ ಶುಲ್ಕ ನಿಯಂತ್ರಣ… pic.twitter.com/z70IJQZ9RR
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Ready to face no-confidence motion, says Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah
Hassan (Karnataka) (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday said that the Congress government led by him was ready to face the no-confidence motion if moved by the opposition during the legislature session from December 8.
With Deputy CM D K Shivakumar by his side, he reiterated that they would both abide by the high command's decision on the leadership issue.
"Let them (opposition) bring in a no-confidence motion or adjournment motion or any other motion. We are ready to face it. Ours is an open book, transparent government. We are ready to face anything," Siddaramaiah said in response to a question.
However, BJP state President B Y Vijayendra and Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly R Ashoka, clarified that the party, along with the JD(S) has not discussed or decided anything so far regarding moving a no-confidence motion against the government.
ALSO READ: CM Siddaramaiah labels Kumaraswamy 'Manuvadi' over Bhagavad Gita curriculum push
The winter session of the Karnataka legislature will begin in Belagavi, bordering Maharashtra, on December 8 and will go on till 19th of this month.
Not wanting to react to a question on the leadership issue, the CM said the Congress high command is very strong.
"D K Shivakumar and I will be committed to whatever the high command decides," he said.
Earlier in the day in Bengaluru, Shivakumar accompanied AICC Mallikarjun Kharge till airport from Vidhana Soudha, after paying tributes to B R Ambedkar on his 69th death anniversary, which had led to some speculation about possible discussion between the two on the leadership issue.
The power tussle within the ruling party had intensified amid speculation about a change in chief minister in the state, after the Congress government reached the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20.
However, both the CM and Deputy CM had recently held breakfast meetings at each others residences, on the instructions of the high command, which is seen as a move to pause the leadership tussle between the two and to signal Siddaramaiah's continuation as the CM for the time being, especially ahead of the Belagavi legislature session.
