The Punjab government has asked the Desh Bhagat University (DBU) to continue with those students who have been legitimately admitted, as per INC norms, in various nursing courses of the university, however the university cannot admit any new student for nursing courses from now onwards. The Medical Education Department of Punjab has directed the college authorities to pay a fine of Rs.10 lakh to each of the student who has been enrolled over the prescribed number of seats.
The inspection of the nursing institutions was done by the Medical Education Department, Punjab Government on 15th and 16th September 2023. The State Government in a letter to the Chancellor of the DBU has mentioned that more than double the number of students which were permitted by the Indian Nursing Council have been admitted by the university. The letter further reads, "This resulted in bringing forth very glaring deficiencies in the working of the nursing courses in your university."
Lacking infrastructure
The letter brings forward various other issues within the varsity like, inadequate physical infrastructure. The government writes, "Students who have been admitted over and above the prescribed number of seats were found sitting on Dharna and holding the DBU management responsible for ruining their career."
According to the letter, the district administration and the police were doing their best to control the situation, but the anger and frustration of the nursing students (specially of the session 2020-21) towards the management of the DBU, was growing higher with every passing moment.
Letter to the University | File
The Medical Education Department has given following directions:
DBU will continue teaching the students who have been legitimately admitted, as per INC norms, in various nursing courses of the university.
The college will not admit any new student for any nursing course from now onwards.
The University should provide the complete list of the 3rd year students of the session 2020-21 to the Medical Education Department who have been affected by the illegal admissions and need to be shifted to protect their future.
The varsity also directed to pay a fine of Rs.10 lakh to each of the student who has been enrolled over and above the prescribed number of seats to compensate for the trauma and dislocation which the students will have to face.
DBU will have to deposit the fees for the current year. i.e., 3rd year, to the institutions where the students will have to be shifted, as would inevitably be demanded by the respective colleges.
The DBU shall also provide complete record like attendance, results of the examinations undertaken, results of the practical undertaken, fees paid, security. etc. which will be required by the colleges in which the government will try its best to accommodate them.
Transfer and accommodation for students
The letter says, "It is made clear that government will try to facilitate the transfer of these children from your institute to those colleges where seats which are approved by INC and are lying vacant."
However, the government said that it not responsible to ensure the accommodation for these children and the complete fault lies on the university and shall continue to be so.
It writes, "The primary responsibility of rehabilitating the students and to ensure that they are suitably accommodated in other colleges and to compensate them financially lies with the Desh Bhagat University."
The DBU has also been directed to provide complete record like attendance, results of the 42 examinations undertaken, results of the practical undertaken, fees paid, security.
DBU committed Criminal act:
The letter also states that the University has committed a fraud on the students for which criminal action is being initiated against the University. The information has also been shared with the Indian Nursing Council, New Delhi for necessary action.
Yesterday it was reported that the nursing students has suspended the protest following intervention by the district administration and the Health Department.