Jamshedpur, June 13: Nursing school students across the state can heave a sigh of relief as the state government has initiated the process for the formation of a Jharkhand Nursing Council.

First year students, who had taken admission in various nursing schools across the state after the bifurcation of Bihar, were not allowed to answer their examinations as the Bihar Nursing Council, which conducts the examinations, did not renew affiliation of these schools.

However, at the same time, second and third year students were allowed to appear in their respective examinations on the ground that they had taken admission before the bifurcation.

State health secretary P.P. Sharma said that the Cabinet has already approved the formation of Jharkhand Nursing Council. “The gazette notification for the Council is expected to be published by the end of this month,” he said.

Sharma said the matter has been taken up so that the first year examination of trainee nurses could be held without further delay. After its formation, the Jharkhand Nursing Council will look after other nursing schools, both government and private.

The state health department has also written to the Nursing School of India, the apex body, which monitors nursing courses to grant affiliation to the state nursing council, Sharma said. Sources said over 400 such students were debarred from appearing in the first year examination.

State health department officials said a chairman would head the Jharkhand Nursing Council, with six executive members.

The officials said two members from the state health department have been sent to New Delhi for pursuing the matter with the Nursing Council of India.