Crackdown Urged on Unrecognized Paramedical Institutes in Udalguri District

TANGLA: With the surge of number of students opting for para-medical studies, there have been mushrooming growth of non-recognized institutions across the Udalguri district. In the recent past, one such institute have grabbed everyone’s attention after the incident of arrest of a dean of the fake institute which was running an institute in the name and style of Assam Paramedical and Nursing Academy (APNA) in Tangla town of Udalguri district which allegedly cheated many aspiring students to the tune of lakhs.

The matter came to light when the authorities of the institute failed to impart practical training and couldn’t issue certificates to its students. Reportedly the dean of the academy claimed his institution’s affiliation to an unheard and unrecognised university of Karnataka which attracted many students. According to reports, three unrecognised paramedical institutions are currently functioning in Tangla town while two of them claims its affiliation to Bharat Sevak Samaj, a national development agency and the other claims its affiliation to State Council for Vocational Education of Assam Government.

All of the institutions which lack basic infrastructure, qualified faculty members or laboratory are currently offering scores of courses including medical laboratory technician, nursing assistant, X-ray and ECG technicians, ANM courses among others. Pertinently, the Medical Education and Research Department, of Assam government vide its order bearing notification No. MER 307386/2 dated 6th June ,2023 has mandated that all paramedical institutions imparting education in Nursing, Pharmacy, and Allied Health Science education in Assam, shall take affiliation from Srimanta Sankaradeva University of Health Sciences (SSUHS) and those running with other affiliation must migrate their affiliation to SSUHS from the academic year 2023-2024.

The order also read that the admission to these institutions have to be made through a common entrance examination conducted by SSUHS from the academic year 2023-2024. “It has also come to notice that some private institutions are creating enervating havoc in the health education sector and doping the gullible students with a false Degree/Diploma. Hence, Deputy Commissioners will take adequate steps to stop these institutes from carrying out their activities and ask them to get regulatory recognition from the Government and affiliation from SSUHS,” read the order signed by then Commissioner & Secretary to the Government of Assam Medical Education & Research Department, Siddharth Singh.

However, due to lack of awareness and interest on the part of the district administration and state government several such institutions in state are duping the aspirant students. The conscious citizens and student organisations have urged Udalguri district administration to act on these institutions and bring them under regulatory authority to secure the future of aspiring students who seek to make career in the para-medical sector.

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