The Union cabinet Wednesday (26th April 2023) approved the setting up of 157 nursing colleges at the same locations as medical colleges that have been established since 2014 — a move aimed at filling up nursing vacancies and ironing out disparities in distribution of nursing colleges in the country.

* The colleges will come up over the next two years with the Centre putting in Rs 1,570 crore (Rs 10 crore for each college), which states can add to. Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced the creation of the new nursing colleges while laying out the current year’s budget.

* With 100 seats per college, the move will add 15,700 BSc nursing seats across the country.

* The highest number of colleges will be in Uttar Pradesh (27), Rajasthan (23), and Madhya Pradesh (14).

* There are currently 1.18 lakh BSc nursing seats in the country, said Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya while announcing the cabinet decision.

* A committee headed by the Union Health Secretary at the Centre and the Principal Secretary of health or medical education in the state will monitor the progress in their construction, expected to be completed over the next two years..

Source : Indian Express