Punjab govt approves hike in nursing course fee

There is no increase in the MSc (Nursing) course fee in government institutions, which is Rs 1 lakh per year, and in private institutions where it stands at Rs 1.75 lakh.

The increase in the fee, however, will be applicable prospectively only to new students joining in the 2020-21 session. All the existing enrolled students will continue to pay at old rates for the full course.

The decisions were taken at the Cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, to strengthen the medical education and infrastructural facilities at the government and private medical colleges, according to a statement.

A spokesperson said that the hike is in accordance with the recommendations of a committee constituted under the Medical Education Department principal secretary in compliance of the 2017 orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

The spokesperson said the committee, after detailed deliberations and keeping in view the fee structure in other states, as well as increase in overall expenses, unanimously recommended that the fee for the government institutions be fixed lower than private institutions. The GNM course fee should not be revised as the course is expected to be stopped by the Indian Nursing Council from 2021, the committee recommended.

As per the committee’s recommendations, the cabinet has also approved an annual increase of five per cent in the fee for both government and private institutions for five years for subsequent batches, with a review after five years.

GMCs TO BE NAMES AFTER GURU NANAK, UDHAM SINGH

The Cabinet also gave its approval to rename the Government Medical College, Kapurthala, as Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji State Institute of Medical Sciences and the Government Medical College, and the one at Hoshiarpur as Shaheed Udham Singh State Institute of Medical Sciences. The Medical Education and Research Department was of the view that these upcoming Medical Sciences Institutes should be set up under Societies for better management as the existing GMCs at Patiala and Amritsar had been facing many operational challenges due to the fiscal stress faced by the state government.

8393 POSTS OF PRE PRIMARY TEACHERS

The Cabinet also approved filling up of 8,393 posts of Pre-Primary Teachers. Relaxation in age and special credit would be given to existing experienced volunteers working in the education department. The Cabinet also gave the go ahead to the departmental service rules for Pre-Primary School Teachers.

Though the total requirement of pre-primary teachers stands at 12,000, the fiscal situation prevented the Finance Department from approving full recruitment, said the Chief Minister.

The annual financial implications involved in the first three years, till these 8,393 teachers are under probation would be Rs 103.73 crore, whereas the annual financial implications would be Rs 374.20 crore after they complete the probation.

UPPER AGE OF SIKHIYA PROVIDERS RELAXED

The Cabinet also approved the education department’s proposal to relax the upper age limit up for volunteers, such as Sikhiya Providers/Education Providers/Education Volunteers, EGS Volunteers, AIE Volunteers and Special Training Resource (STR) Volunteers, at the time of recruitment of regular ETT teachers or Pre-Primary Teachers. Further, special credit may be given in the selection process to such volunteers at the rate of 1 mark per year with maximum of 10 marks.

DISINVESTMENT OF PACL

The Cabinet also cleared decks for 33.49% equity shareholding disinvestment of Punjab Alkalies & Chemicals Limited (PACL), held by Punjab government through Punjab State Industrial Development Corporation (PSIDC). Finance Minister Manpreet Badal said the state will get Rs 42 crore from its share.