Sherin, 35 and a mother of two, has been working as a staff nurse at a private hospital in Kolkata for 15 years. Originally from Kerala, Sherin completed her General Nursing and Midwifery (GNM) education from Nightingale Institute of Nursing in Bengaluru, Karnataka. For six months now, she's been preparing for the Occupational English Test (OET), an exam which assesses the language proficiency of healthcare professionals to help them migrate to foreign countries.
"Nowadays, we nurses are treated as servants, there is no respect and no proper work hours," lamented Sherin, explaining her decision. She isn't alone in seeking a better life abroad. Thousands of nursing graduates have similar ambitions and despite producing a large number of qualified nurses each year, there's still a shortage in the country.
Union health ministry data from 2019 shows that India has 1.7 nurses per 1,000 population; the World Health Organization (WHO) norm is three per 1,000. Around 2 million nurses are required to fill this shortage. WHO estimates that globally, approximately 9 million more nurses will be required by 2030.
Data from the regulator, Indian Nursing Council (INC), shows sharp growth in the number of nursing education institutions in the last five years. Health minister Mansukh Mandaviya told the Lok Sabha in August 2023 that from 2014 to March 2023, the number of nursing institutes had grown by 36% and undergraduate seats by almost 40%.
After the COVID-19 pandemic, demand for Indian nurses has grown. Educators say if the government does not step in now to regulate and ensure quality, it will be too late. The sector needs investment, a regulatory framework to ensure pay parity, and positions for those with specialisation.
Denne historien er fra May 2024-utgaven av Careers 360.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra May 2024-utgaven av Careers 360.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
The 50 colleges in 5 countries where most Indians go for MBBS abroad
Data on countries and colleges from the Foreign Medical Graduates Examination (FMGE) 2022 - the latest available - shows that most Indians who completed medical degrees abroad and wrote the FMGE went to five countries.
Foreign medical colleges: Look before you leap
A close look at foreign medical colleges that thousands of Indians have graduated from shows that many are unaccredited, don’t have hospitals or even their own websites
'Either I clear FMGE or leave the country'
After spending lakhs on MBBS degrees abroad, thousands spend years trying to clear the FMGE. That is the only option for Indian graduates of foreign medical colleges to build a career in India
Why hundreds of nursing graduates leave India each year
There has been an increase in nursing institutes over the past two decades but policy gaps, lax regulations, poor pay and opportunities are pushing a large number of nursing staff to seek opportunities abroad
In Kashmir, why NEET and JEE candidates flock to private reading halls to prepare for exams
These are accessible round-the-clock, even on public holidays, have private cabins and booths, kitchen, discussion area and some, even places for napping
Battling despair and depression in medical school
Long hours, bullying, lack of support make a difficult programme tougher for medical students. They hope for clear guidelines from the NMC
This father-daughter duo uncovered a scam in NEET admissions in West Bengal
Several generalcategory students had secured admission in medical colleges with forged ST certificates. Ishita Soren spotted the names, and her father followed up
'Forced to take up bonded labour
There's massive resistance to a state policy in Karnataka that requires even private medical college graduates to do one year's mandatory rural service
‘A routine circus': PG medical students lobby, move court to get stipends
Despite NMC orders, many medical colleges still seriously underpay resident doctors and threaten them into silence. In government colleges, stipends can be delayed for months
Why Mizoram wants centre to take over its only medical college
Mizoram got its first state medical college in 2018. In 2023, it asked the union government to take over. Mixed up in this are questions of funding, MBBS seat distribution
