Nursing college crisis turns political in Health Minister’s constituency

With just months to go for the local body and Assembly elections next year, the Pathanamthitta Government Nursing College is fast emerging as a key political issue in Aranmula, the constituency of Health Minister Veena George.

Nearly a week and a half after students launched a protest against the government’s apathy in fixing issues faced by the institution, the Congress has thrown its weight behind the issue. On Tuesday, the Kerala Students Union (KSU), the party’s student wing, staged a massive protest outside the college. The dharna that followed was inaugurated by MP, Anto Antony, who expressed his willingness to allot a bus to the college through his MP fund.

“There is no way a government institution like this can function without approval from the Indian Nursing Council. If the Left Democratic Front government is willing to address the shortcomings and complete the required documentation within a set time frame, I am ready to take up the responsibility of securing INC approval within just a month,” said Mr. Antony, also a former parliamentary representative on the council.

The college has been in the eye of a storm over its lack of basic amenities and the absence of recognition from the INC. The institution began functioning in 2023 with an initial batch of 60 students under temporary approval from the Kerala University of Health Sciences (KUHS) and the Kerala Nursing Council. However, even after two years, the college has failed to obtain the mandatory INC recognition, leaving students concerned about the validity of their degrees.

Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee secretary Anish Varikkannamala and KSU district president Allen Geo Michael led the protesters, who began a march from Stadium Junction. On reaching the college entrance, they attempted to break through a police barricade, prompting a police intervention The police used force to disperse the crowd and forcibly relocating the activists to a police bus.

Currently operating out of a rented building, the college lacks even fundamental infrastructure, including properly equipped laboratories crucial for clinical training, the students alleged. Despite repeated appeals to the Health Minister and other authorities, no action has been taken. With graduation looming, the students say their futures hang in uncertainty.