At a time when the nation is gripped with the fight between south states and the central government over the three-language formula, the Karnataka government will be setting up foreign language laboratories for the nursing community.

Indian nurses have gone all over the globe, and it is not surprising to find these nurses, mostly hailing from Kerala, in any major or small city hospital in the world.

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And given the future potential for Indian nurses, given the demand for medical technicians and nurses all over the globe as many foreign countries are witnessing the phenomenon of ageing populations, there is a skills gap and numbers gap in the nursing community in many countries.

Which is why, the Karnataka government has decided to step in and help the nursing community with language skills, by facilitating teaching the foreign languages of choice. The government will also be making an assessment of demand for nursing services abroad, and offer the languages of that countries to the nursing students enrolled in nursing colleges across the state.

The announcement on language courses was made by the Minister Sharan Prakash Patil in his inaugural address after opening the new physiotherapy building at Dr B R Ambedkar College of Physiotherapy, here on Friday.

In view of the growing international demand for skilled nurses and allied health professionals, the government has planned to set up foreign language labs for Nursing students. To begin with the labs to teach English, French, German and Japanese would be started, he said.

Highlighting the growing international demand for skilled nurses and allied health professionals, the minister said that nursing students should opt for other languages like German, Japanese, Italian, and English during their course period, ensuring they are better prepared for overseas opportunities.

“We are being approached by hospitals in Germany, Italy, Japan, and the UAE for immediate recruitment of trained nurses and allied health sciences students. These hospitals require candidates proficient in their native languages and we are taking steps to equip our students accordingly,” the minister said. He is also the minister for Medical Education & Skill Development portfolio.

The minister also urged the professional medical colleges to introduce nursing courses in General Nursing and Midwifery to increase the numbers of fully trained nurses and care givers through high quality education in allied health services.