Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) [India], August 12 : Nursing students staged a protest in Bhopal on Wednesday over delays in conducting their examinations and results declaration, scholarship-related issues and the recognition status of nursing colleges.
During the protest, some students climbed onto an under construction building near Jawahar Chowk in the state capital to press for their demands. Police, however, intervened and safely brought down all the students.
The protesting students said that despite spending nearly four years pursuing their course, they have not been able to complete even the first year of their studies. While some said delays in registration and documentation were preventing them from appearing for further examinations and applying for job opportunities.
Dilkhush Rawat, a first-year GNM (General Nursing and Midwifery) student from the 2022-23 session and resident of Gwalior, said his first-year examinations had already been conducted but the results were yet to be declared.
"We have completed our first-year examinations, but the result has not been declared yet. We have repeatedly approached our colleges, but they say they have no role in the matter and that the Nursing Council in Bhopal will handle it...Our only request to the government is that if you want to bring changes in the colleges, implement them from the 2026-27 session. But conduct our examinations. So many students are suffering, and our families are also facing problems. What options do we have left now? Our families have taken loans to educate us," Rawat said.
He alleged that students had been facing repeated delays in the matter and said their academic session had already been extended significantly.
"Our only demand is that our examinations should be conducted on time and our results should be declared on time. A three-year degree should be completed in three years. We have been studying for four years and our first year is still not complete. And if our registration with the Nursing Council is not completed, we will not be able to appear for the subsequent examinations either. We took admission only because we trusted the nursing institution and the council. Now they have declared that college unsuitable. Earlier, the college was considered suitable. They had been taking money and conducting examinations, but now they have declared the college unsuitable," he added.
Another student, Sandhya Barse said students from the 2020-21 and 2021-22 BSc Nursing batches had reached only the second year despite the course being of four years.
"We took admission in 2020-21 and 2021-22, and it is now 2026. We have only appeared for our second-year examinations, and there is still no timetable for the next exams. If a four-year course is taking six years just to reach the second year, how many years will it take us to complete the fourth year? How will we get jobs if we do not even receive our degrees on time?" Barse said.
She also raised concerns over delayed scholarships and the financial burden on students staying in Bhopal for years to pursue their education.
"We have been living in Bhopal for years, paying rent, food and other expenses. Our parents are not so financially well-off that they can afford all this for so many years. Many of us have to take up part-time jobs to meet our expenses while also attending college and studying...Our demand is to conduct the examinations on time, provide scholarships on time, and announce the timetable on time," she said.
Meanwhile, TT nagar police station in charge Gaurav Dohare said some nursing students had been staging a protest, during which a few students climbed onto the building. The students were subsequently brought down safely.
"Some students are sitting in protest over their various demands and today, some of them climbed onto the building in connection with their demands, but they were safely brought down. Their demands are related to the examination dates, scholarships, and the fact that their academic sessions are taking longer than the prescribed time period," Dohare said.