Comfort to paramedical and nursing schools as ADRN approves filling vacant seats

The Jammu and Kashmir government on Wednesday authorized filling the remaining vacancies in nursing and paramedical colleges after the conclusion of centralized counseling by the Board of Professional Entrance Examination (BOPEE), providing significant relief to the management of around 150 of these institutions. According to a spokesperson, the Administrative Council (AC), presided over by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, gave its permission

The Administrative Council (AC), chaired by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, convened today and authorized the filling of remaining paramedical institution openings after the conclusion of centralized counseling by the Board of Professional Entrance Examinations (BOPEE).

Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar, the Lieutenant Governor’s adviser, was present at the meeting along with Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo and Principal Secretary to the Lieutenant Governor, Mandeep Kumar Bhandari.

After centralized counseling by the J&K BOPEE is over, the AC approved filling the remaining seats for admission to M.Sc./B.Sc. Nursing, Post Basic B.Sc. Nursing, B. Pharmacy course, and various paramedical courses in government-run and private institutions in the UT by the institution itself, strictly on a merit basis in accordance with the eligibility criteria and Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) framed by the government.

According to an official, “This has been necessary because the promoters of the institutions filed a representation in this regard and the majority of such seats in the private as well as government nursing and paramedical institutions remain unfilled.”

He said that the matter was investigated and that the Punjab state model was also looked at. The Registrar of the J&K Paramedical Council was consulted before the Health and Medical Education Department decided to draft SOPs. The H&ME Department submitted the immediate proposal for AC clearance after consulting with GAD and J&K BOPEE.

With the reorganization of J&K into two Union territories in 2019, the nursing and paramedical colleges, which are primarily in the private sector, offer 20,000 diplomas and 400 degree seats in various courses. However, the last two academic sessions have seen very few admissions due to the new system of admissions for these courses through BOPEE.

ReK instructors’ honoraria were increased by 50%.

A fifty percent increase in honoraria has been approved by the Administrative Council for the 2417 Rehbar-e-Khel (ReK) physical education instructors employed by the Youth Services and Sports Department. A powerful committee chaired by the chief secretary had previously suggested raising the honoraria for these Rehbar-e-Khel instructors. According to an official, the improvement would motivate them to continue promoting and popularizing sports in schools.