Bhopal, May 28 (IANS): The Madhya Pradesh government has ordered the closure of 66 nursing colleges across the state, three months after the Madhya Pradesh High Court's order over 'irregularities' in affiliation.

The state's medical education department has issued a circular to district administration asking them to comply with the order. The action follows the directives of Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, to take strict action.

The state government said that the Madhya Pradesh High Court has declared these colleges 'unsuitable', and subsequently, action for shutting them has been taken.

The government, however, has also made it clear that students enrolled with these 66 colleges would not be affected. "Students of these colleges would not be affected. Their exams would be conducted," a statement from the medical education department, read.

The development came even as the nursing college scam case is being heard in the high court. The case is about large-scale irregularities and corruption in nursing colleges. The CBI has been carrying out the investigation.

The CBI had submitted its reports (charge sheet) on 308 nursing colleges, while the probe in another 300 nursing colleges was underway.

Meanwhile, two officials of Madhya Pradesh Police -- inspectors Sushil Kumar Majoka and Rishikant Asathe, who were earlier attached to the CBI -- were arrested two weeks ago. Their arrest on an alleged bribery charge has raised multiple questions about the authenticity of the probe.

The nursing college scam was exposed in 2021 and it reached the Madhya Pradesh High Court in 2023.