After more than a decade, male students in the country will also have the opportunity to become a nurse. National Nursing Council has allocated 15% seats in nursing to male students in all medical institutions. The council follows the government decision to allow male students enrolment in nursing education from the upcoming academic session.
National Nursing Council has allocated 15% seats in nursing to male students, in the medical field –in Proficiency Certificate Level (PCL) and Nursing and Bachelors of Science (BSc). The decision was made by the council following a conference on 19th of June at the headquarters of National Nursing Council located at Bansbari, Kathmandu. The council issued a notice making it mandatory for all nursing institutions across the country to allocate 15% seats for male students in nursing courses.
Notice. Image Source: Glocal Khabar
As many countries have already been running nursing courses for both male and female candidates, various health sector advocates, as well as many male students, have long been demanding that the country follow suit, according to NNC’s Registrar, Laxmi Rai. “The institutions, health service providers, and male students have been demanding recruitments of male nurses in order to allow gender equality in the education and health sectors,” said Rai.
With the entry of male candidates into the nursing profession, the council is now considering removing the quota system. The enrolment of male candidates will come into force only in the next academic session. “Due to some technical reasons the, provision could not be implemented till now.
But the male candidates will be eligible to apply for nursing courses from the upcoming session. Every nursing institute must provide 15% seats to male candidates,” said Rai. If the allocated seats for male candidates are not filled, the institutes can fill in the remaining seats with female candidates. The ratio of the male nurses can be increased depending on the response from applicant male candidates, the council has said.
Welcoming the seat allocation for male candidates, former president of the NNC Chandra Kala Sharma said, “We had tried for nearly two decades to introduce the system, but it couldn’t happen for some reasons. This is a praiseworthy step for the whole medical field.”
Reference: Kathmandu Post