Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 2: In a show of protest, nursing students from four colleges staged a dharna outside Government Medical College Jammu today, demanding a refund of their fees.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO
The aggrieved students, hailing from Government Nursing College Gangyal, Government Nursing College Reasi, Government Nursing College Akhnoor, and Government Nursing College Udhampur, claimed that they were charged excessive amounts of Rs 70,000 and Rs 50,000 during their admission in 2019 and the subsequent year, respectively.
“These charges were in direct violation of a Government order issued by the Health and Medical Education Department,” claimed the students.
According to Touseef Wani, one of the students, the nursing colleges were supposed to charge approximately Rs 10,000 for the first year of the B.Sc Nursing course and Rs 5,000 for the following year, as per the Government order number 595-HME of 2017 dated October 25, 2017.
However, the colleges charged significantly higher amounts from the students, causing financial strain.
“Despite numerous appeals to authorities such as the Principal of Government Medical College Jammu, the Deputy Commissioner of Jammu, the Secretary of Health and Medical Education Department, and other government officials, the students’ pleas have been ignored,” he said.
Another student, wishing to remain anonymous, revealed that Pamposh Ganjoo, the then Under Secretary of the Health and Medical Education Department, referring to circular number 56-JK(HME) of 2022 dated September 26, 2022, instructed the nursing colleges to refund the fees as it was clear that the charges had been levied in violation of the Government order.
“However, to date, no refund has been issued, even though the 2019 batch of students is about to complete their studies,” said the student.
The agitating students emphasized that if the unjustly charged amount from nearly 300 students across the four nursing colleges is not refunded promptly, they will continue their dharna outside GMC Jammu day and night until their demands are met.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
