Madhya Pradesh govt suspends recognition of 93 nursing colleges after HC rebuke

BHOPAL : The Madhya Pradesh government has suspended the recognition of 93 nursing colleges after they came under the scanner of the High Court. MP Nursing Council administrator Dr Yogesh Sharma on Thursday told PTI that recognition of 93 nursing colleges had been suspended. Sources said 16 of of these colleges are in Indore, eight in Bhopal, seven in Jabalpur, among other places.

Vishal Baghel, president of the Law Students Association of Madhya Pradesh, had filed a public interest litigation (PTI) on January 11 this year alleging lack of infrastructure in some of these colleges as well as few of them running only on paper on the basis of fake documents. Baghel and his counsels Alok Vagrecha and Deepak Tiwari had drawn the attention of the court towards the pathetic condition of these institutes. On May 10, the HC had sought details, including documents and photographs, from 453 colleges from the MP Nursing Council, but 93 had failed to respond to notices issued by the MPNC, after which their recognition was suspended, Baghel told PTI.

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On Tuesday, a division bench of Chief Justice Ravi Malimath and Justice Vishal Mishra had also ordered the state government to appoint an administrator to run the MP Nursing Council after observing that the material furnished to the court by the latter was incorrect. Taking cognisance of some of the photographs submitted by the petitioner's lawyer, the HC observed it was "shocking" that some sheds have been shown as colleges.

"On considering the affidavit filed before the court as well as previous affidavits and the material on record, the same would indicate involvement by the Registrar (MP Nursing Council) in supplying incorrect information to the court," the bench order had said on Tuesday. The statements made by the Council's registrar on affidavit are shown to be false through affidavits of the petitioner, and this is a very serious matter, the court order said. It also said the "Registrar is responsible to a very great extent for the present state of affairs", adding that careers of students were at risk due to the registrar's acts of omission and commission. "Therefore, we deem it just and necessary that the Registrar, MP Nursing Council, Bhopal be directed to be kept under suspension forthwith," the order said.

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In relation to the photographs submitted, the court order said, "There is a broken room with a couple of vessels, which is said to be the laboratory. Photographs of a huge college structure are also being produced. However, there is a plastic board which indicates it is one of the nursing colleges. Same is the photographs of certain other colleges."