Concerns over an emerging shortage of nurses in Calcutta were raised by the head of a private hospital group at a nursing conclave on Tuesday, with industry leaders warning that the city’s healthcare expansion may outpace its supply of trained professionals.

While hospitals are expected to add thousands of beds over the next two years, the city does not produce enough nurses to meet the demand. “Calcutta is going to see about 6,000 additional new beds in the next one-and-a-half to two years. Where are the nurses?” said Ayanabh Debgupta, regional director (East), Manipal Hospitals, speaking at the 10th edition of the CII (Confederation of Indian Industry) Nursing Conclave.

“We have to produce enough nurses. We get nurses from the Northeast, Odisha... We need to strengthen nursing education in the city and the state. That is happening, but there is so much to do to ensure the demand-supply gap is met,” he said.

“We don’t have adequate colleges, which we need. There is a perception that education is better down south. We need to pull up our level of education. In the last five years, a lot of work has happened, but there is much more to be done. We need far more colleges than we have,” he told Metro.

Debgupta said quantity alone was not enough, stressing that the quality of nursing education also mattered. He said colleges must integrate technology into coursework to help students keep pace with advancements in the healthcare sector.

Shortage of qualified nursing professionals is a growing challenge across India, said Sajal Dutta, chairman and managing director of Desun Hospital. “... As healthcare services expand, the demand for skilled nurses continues to rise. Nurses are central to patient care and play a vital role in ensuring quality clinical outcomes,” he said.

To address the gap, Desun has invested in training future nursing professionals through the Desun School & College of Nursing in Calcutta and Siliguri, affiliated to the Indian Nursing Council and the West Bengal Nursing Council.

“Our institutes provide quality education, hands-on clinical training and exposure to modern healthcare practices, preparing students for careers in healthcare. By nurturing skilled, compassionate and patient-centric nursing professionals, we are contributing to a stronger healthcare workforce,” Dutta said.

The conclave discussed the role of compassion in nursing.

“Nursing care is one of the most important pillars of healthcare delivery... To strengthen the profession, we must focus on three key areas: specialisation, working conditions and regulations. There is a strong case for introducing specialised nursing streams, improving workplace conditions and strengthening accreditation and regulatory mechanisms,” said Narayan Swaroop Nigam, principal secretary of the state health and family welfare department.

Prashant Sharma, chairman, CII West Bengal Healthcare Taskforce and managing director, Charnock Hospital, said the state had made significant progress in strengthening its nursing ecosystem. “As of March 31, 2025, the state has 261 nursing educational institutions, including 88 government-run and 173 private institutions.”

The conclave was followed by Joyee 2026, a felicitation programme by CII and India Women Network recognising caregivers across 44 hospitals and healthcare organisations