North Karnataka nursing graduates struggle to register on KSNC

HUBBALLI: Many students from North Karnataka region who have completed their BSc in nursing, post-basic in BSc nursing and GNM diploma in nursing are facing difficulties in registering their names with the Karnataka State Nursing Council (KSNC), Bengaluru.
As there is no other regional centre, students must travel to Bengaluru, amid rising Covid cases, for registration, which is mandatory for all nursing students seeking government jobs.
Many nursing students from Hubballi, Gadag, Koppal and other parts of north Karnataka told TOI that the government had invited applications for the community health officer’s post for which registration is compulsory.
“We have finished the course but we need to travel to Bengaluru and spend thousands of rupees (to register). Most of us are from poor backgrounds and we cannot afford travel expenses, staying and other expenses in Bengaluru. During this pandemic period, travelling to other cities is nothing but risking our lives. Besides, there is a technical problem to get online appointment,” said an aspirant who did not want to be named.
“I went to Bengaluru with an 8-month-old child and I had to stay in a lodge near the council. It was really a tough time for me to get myself registered, the government should start regional centres,” said another nursing student from Hubballi.
Mahaboobsab, a techie, who accompanied her sister to Bengaluru from Hubballi, said, there was a huge rush in the council office and staff were not polite to the students. “We spent two days in Bengaluru for registration. The government should start regional centres to avoid this rush and help students of north Karnataka for registration and renewal,” he said.
Sanjay M Peerapur, the principal of the KLE Institute of Nursing Sciences in Hubballi, said there used to be regional registration centres in Hubballi, Kalaburagi, Mangaluru and other parts of state for registration. These centres were shut three years back. Over 40,000 nursing students graduate every year in the state and most of them are from north Karnataka region.
Most of the students are women and all must go to Bengaluru for registration and renewal. “Many students share their problems with us regarding registration. We have been demanding that the government start the regional KSNC centres in north Karnataka,” Peerapur said.
Somashekarayya Kalmath, senate member of the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences in Bengaluru, said: “We came across problems faced by nursing students in registering their names with KSNC. I will take up this issue with the government soon.”
Tracking system
When contacted, Usha Bhandari, the in-charge registrar of KSNC, said: “We have also received complaints of problems faced by students from north Karnataka regarding the registration. Earlier, we had regional centres but those were closed. The Indian Nursing Council is introducing a Nurses Registration Tracking System in the next 15 days, which will enable students to register and renew their names and nursing certificates online without coming to the KNSC.”