Daijiworld Media Network - Chennai
Chennai, Jul 18: The Tamil Nadu government has announced plans to substantially expand nursing education by adding nearly 1,500 B.Sc. Nursing seats in government medical colleges from the next academic year, aiming to make healthcare education more affordable and strengthen the state's medical workforce.
The initiative is intended to improve access to professional nursing courses while meeting the rising demand for qualified healthcare professionals across the country.
Currently, six government medical colleges in the state offer 510 B.Sc. Nursing seats, with students paying an annual tuition fee of ?13,750. In contrast, private institutions charge fees that can reach ?1.20 lakh per year, making government colleges the preferred choice for many aspiring students.
Officials said the expansion follows repeated requests from students and parents seeking more affordable government nursing seats. The move is expected to ease financial pressures on families while opening up greater opportunities for candidates pursuing careers in nursing.
The government has also decided to revive earlier proposals to strengthen nursing and pharmacy education that had remained pending. Plans are now in place to introduce B.Sc. Nursing programmes in 14 government medical colleges across Tamil Nadu.
Medical colleges in Vellore, Tiruvannamalai, Dharmapuri, Tirunelveli, Tiruchirappalli, Namakkal, and several other districts have been identified for the expansion.
According to officials from the Directorate of Medical Education, the government has instructed the department to increase admissions not only in nursing but also across various paramedical courses alongside undergraduate medical and dental programmes.
The objective is to build a larger pool of skilled nurses and allied healthcare professionals to support the state's growing healthcare requirements.
Along with the nursing expansion, the government is planning to introduce over 700 additional pharmacy seats under the same programme, further boosting opportunities in healthcare education.
Preparations are underway to develop the necessary infrastructure, including classrooms, laboratories, hostels and other academic facilities. Recruitment of faculty members and teaching staff has also begun to ensure the institutions comply with regulatory standards before the new courses commence.
Officials said they are confident that the infrastructure development and faculty appointments will be completed on schedule, enabling the expanded nursing and pharmacy programmes to begin from the next academic year and significantly enhance access to quality, affordable healthcare education across Tamil Nadu.