J&K Nursing Colleges seek remedy after losing All-India Recognition
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By Mansoor Peer
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27 Sep 2025
Srinagar, Sept 27: After widespread student protests over the withdrawal of All-India recognition by the Indian Nursing Council (INC), several nursing colleges across Jammu and Kashmir have now initiated corrective measures by applying for suitability certificates to restore their accreditation.
On September 15, the INC withdrew recognition from more than a dozen nursing institutions in the UT, barring their students from practicing outside J&K, a move that triggered concern among students and parents, fearing long-term damage to their career prospects.
“Some three to four colleges have already been directed to apply to the INC for suitability certificates,” said Dr. Sandeep Singh, Registrar of the J&K Paramedical/Nursing Council at Government Medical Colleges in Jammu and Srinagar.
“I have spoken to the Secretary of the Indian Nursing Council and requested additional time for the institutions to fulfill the required compliance,” he added.
Following the de-recognition, the J&K Paramedical/Nursing Council issued a circular urging all affected institutions to immediately apply for suitability certification to ensure their degrees are valid nationwide.
According to Dr. Sandeep, the main issue cited by the INC involved deficiencies in hospital tie-ups, a statutory requirement for nursing colleges to maintain their accreditation.
“There are around 50 government and private nursing institutions in J&K. Of the 15 de-recognised by the INC, two have already shut down and five offering ANM courses haven’t admitted students in two years. That leaves eight active institutions, from which we’ve now sought compliance reports,” he said.
He assured students that the matter is being handled and that there is no cause for panic. “These issues will be resolved in due course of time. Students should not worry,” Dr. Sandeep said.
J&K is now the third region in the country, after Bihar and Assam, to face such regulatory action from the INC. Earlier, the council had declared 32 institutions in those states unfit to run nursing programs. The INC’s Gazette notification, issued on September 14, invoked Section 14 of the Indian Nursing Council Act, 1947, citing repeated notices to the J&K Government and the J&K Nurses & Midwives Council that went unanswered.
“Withdrawal of recognition is necessary to maintain the quality and credibility of nursing education in India,” the INC stated.
“Institutions failing to meet the mandatory statutory requirements cannot be permitted to operate.”
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