The health department has decided to carry out intensive scrutiny of about 60 private nursing colleges in the state to improve the quality of education provided by them.

Besides verifying the claims made by the institutions, the scrutiny will include surprise raids at the colleges by a squad comprising senior health officials. The health department has constituted the team recently.

“We have received complaints that most institutions do not have required infrastructure, facility or teachers to provide quality training. We have, therefore, decided to tighten the noose around them. If the institutions do not fulfil the parameters, they will be de-recognised. We want nurses in the state but we also want them well-trained,” said additional health secretary R.P. Ojha.

According to the norms, permission to start a nursing institution is given by Indian Nursing College after which state gives no-objection certificates (NOCs) to run these. The state has decided not to give NOCs to the institutions till the next order.

“There have been instances when colleges have allowed students to appear in examinations without even conducting classes and have certified them as qualified nurses. These students do not have even primary knowledge of nursing. We need to streamline things,” Ojha added.

The state has been grappling with shortage of nurses with about 33 per cent of the posts lying vacant. Officials said the existing nursing schools are grappling with poor infrastructure, shortage of faculty and poor standard of teaching.

According to National Rural Health Mission, the state requires 5,488 auxiliary nurse and midwives, 70 public health nurses, 76 district public health nurses, 13,818 staff nurses, 383 head nurses, 114 assistant matrons, 48 matrons and 147 teachers.

The condition of government run nursing institutions is no better in terms of number or quality. At present, the state has eight auxiliary nurse and midwives and general nurse and midwife schools. Plans are afoot to a open nursing school each in 38 districts within two years.

The government has also tied up with some organisations to improve quality of the training imparted to students.