Private nursing colleges surge in West Bengal but more BSc, GNM, ANM seats lead to more scrutiny

For years, West Bengal was dominated by government nursing colleges and a small number of established private institutions. Before COVID -19, the state had under 40 private institutes. Now, there are roughly 290, say experts working in the field.

“There is a huge demand for nursing education now. Our teachers constantly remind us that competition is becoming tougher because many nursing colleges have come up across West Bengal and students are also returning from other states, like Karnataka and Odisha, after completing their studies,” said Debjani Daw, a student of the Institute of Nursing, Brainware University, set up in 2020.

According to Papri Das, head of the Institute of Nursing, Brainware University, the expansion has accelerated particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic, as demand for trained nurses increased in both domestic and overseas healthcare markets. Private players have entered the sector in large numbers, opening institutions offering BSc Nursing, GNM (general nursing and midwifery), and ANM (auxiliary nurse midwife) courses.

Also read MBBS interns seek uniform stipend policy as amounts vary wildly and private medical colleges underpay

BSc Nursing, GNM and ANM: Demand for nurses

“Nursing has always been in demand because nurses form the backbone of the healthcare system. With the growth of multi-speciality hospitals in West Bengal and increased recruitment in both government and private healthcare sectors, nursing has become a highly employability-oriented profession. Students completing nursing programmes are often able to secure jobs quickly,” said Das.

It is also drawing students from different backgrounds and genders. “I always wanted to join the profession, but since I did not have science subjects in Classes 11 and 12, pursuing BSc Nursing was not an option. I enrolled in the GNM course instead,” said Sujit Das, an intern with Apollo Nursing Home in Kolkata.

“Now I am studying again to complete my bachelor’s degree in nursing, and eventually I plan to pursue a master’s degree.”

Students who complete GNM can also continue their education through post-basic BSc Nursing, a two-year programme that allows GNM nurses to obtain a bachelor’s degree in nursing. This pathway has become important for students who may not have had a science background in school but still wish to pursue higher studies and career growth within the nursing profession. It has also meant easy availability of GNM courses.

“We have only female candidates in our college. There are 120 seats, 60 GNM and 60 BSc Nursing,” said Supriyo Das, director of Pramoth Nath Das Academy of Nursing in Asansol, established in June, 2021, and affiliated to West Bengal University of Health Sciences, in December, 2021.

Also read Beyond Textbooks: How simulation labs in Tamil Nadu medical colleges are reshaping MBBS training

At the state government-run Aliah University, which offers only BSc Nursing, the demand is strong. The university currently has 60 seats, with eight further reserved through central government allocation. Officials at the university said students are selected from across West Bengal on the basis of their performance in the Joint Entrance Test for Nursing, Paramedical and Allied Sciences Undergraduate Courses (JENPAS-UG).

JENPAS UG, WBJEE ANM, GNM: Exams, domicile rules

Some private college operators have raised concerns over regulatory policies governing admissions.

For BSc nursing admissions, students in West Bengal are required to appear for the JENPAS-UG entrance examination conducted by the state government. For GNM admissions, students take the WBJEE ANM and GNM examination.

Daw, however did not appear for WBJEE ANM or GNM, and her selection was on the basis of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET). Admission in private universities till 2022 was possible through NEET or JENPAS-UG. She is a 2022 batch student.

“That year, I had appeared for NEET and my ranking was okay. I did not get into medicine but my parents suggested I opt for BSc Nursing.” From 2023, all private colleges are required to admit students based on JENPAS-UG.

However, some of the private nursing college administrators argue that the entrance test requirement for GNM courses goes beyond national guidelines. They say that restricting admissions to students with West Bengal domicile certificates limits the pool of applicants despite a growing demand for trained nurses.

“According to INC guidelines, there is no entrance test for GNM, but here in West Bengal there is an entrance test,” Supriyo Das said, referring to the norms of the Indian Nursing Council.

However, Papri Das points out that these admission decisions – domicile criteria and whether an exam is required – are a matter of how governance is shared between states and the centre. “The domicile requirement in West Bengal applies mainly to basic nursing programmes, such as GNM and BSc Nursing, because health is considered a state subject. The idea is to train healthcare manpower according to the needs of the state,” she said.

Also read ‘At Regulatory Crossroads’: Psychology courses caught in UGC, NCAHP, RCI tangle, causing confusion

Nursing Colleges: Quality and regulation

The rapid increase in nursing institutions has also intensified debates over educational quality and regulatory consistency.

Many private-college teachers say West Bengal applies stricter academic eligibility standards compared to other states. According to them, the state government has justified these rules on grounds of maintaining quality in nursing education.

Supriyo Das also said that delayed counselling and entrance examination results last year affected admissions significantly.

“Last year it was terrible. The results were declared so late that we did not get 30 per cent of the students,” he said, adding that some institutions were forced to discontinue courses because operational costs were too high.

Also read NMC drafts rules to sideline states on medical college approvals, gets tougher on infrastructure norms

Nursing Schools: Rising costs

Costs are rising for students as well. GNM courses in private institutes cost between Rs 3 lakh and Rs 3.5 lakh for the full programme. Annual expenses for students can reach around Rs 1 lakh without hostel accommodation; with it, costs can reach Rs 1.5 lakh per year. For BSc nursing, the fee ranges from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 8 lakh for the programme, minus the hostel, mess or paying guest accommodation.

At the same time, private institutions say the cost of running nursing colleges has increased substantially because of infrastructure requirements, faculty salaries, hospital tie-ups for clinical training and hostel management expenses.

“The situation is such that if a person does not have the financial capability, they will not be able to run a nursing college,” Das said.

Also read From IIT Madras to Kharagpur: Why top engineering colleges are now teaching biomedical sciences

Nursing colleges expansion

Nursing education in West Bengal was dominated by government-linked colleges attached to major teaching hospitals in Kolkata and a few district medical colleges. Over the last several years, private institutions have spread into districts such as Paschim Bardhaman, Nadia, Hooghly, Asansol and North 24 Parganas. Many of the newer institutions rely on partnerships with hospitals for clinical training.

Nursing schools in West Bengal

These names emerged from conversations with experts in the field