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Nursing students stage protest march seeking better facilities in college
Students of Government Nursing College, Pathanamthitta, take out a march to Health Minister’s office citing poor lab facilities, lack of space, and paucity of teachers in college
In protest against the alleged apathy of the State government in addressing the challenges faced by the Government Nursing College in Pathanamthitta, the students staged a march to the office of Health Minister Veena George.
The protest march, which began at the college building at Catholicate Junction, proceeded towards the Minister’s office at Makkamkunnu after a meeting in front of General Hospital, Pathanamthitta. However, the police intercepted the march and put up barricades to prevent the protesters from entering the Minister’s office.
The protesters alleged that the college was operating in a rented building with no basic facilities. They also accused the government of ignoring the Indian Nursing Council’s (INC) directive to immediately equip the college with necessary facilities.
They said they had been admitted with the promise that everything would be set right within two months. However, the authorities had not yet appointed enough teachers or prepared adequate lab facilities. Classes for 60 students were held in a room where there was barely any space between the chairs.
“The students cannot even see the teachers because of pillars in the middle of the classroom, and those sitting behind cannot hear the lessons due to the noise from the busy road outside,” said a protester.
‘College has no hostel’
As the institution has no hostel, students from different parts of the State are staying in private buildings about one-and-a-half kilometres away, incurring significant costs. Additionally, they have to travel 16 kilometres to Government Medical College Hospital, Konni, for training, creating a huge financial burden.
With the college located in the Aranmula constituency, represented by Health Minister Veena George, the strike has caught the CPI(M) off guard. Consequently, efforts are underway at the administrative level to resolve the issue swiftly.
Results withheld
The college, which began operating last year, saw students erupt in protest after the Kerala University of Health Sciences (KUHS) withheld their first-year examination results, citing lack of approval from the Indian Nursing Council (INC). Although the issue was resolved on an intervention by the Health Minister, the students began to agitate. The issue has also assumed a political dimension with the Congress too launching a protest on the issue.
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