The Madhya Pradesh High Court has ordered a reinspection of all the 169 private Nursing Colleges in the state, which had earlier been declared fit and given a clean chit by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) that is probing a massive ‘Nursing College Scam’ in the state.
The HC directives came after a hearing in the matter on Thursday.
The issue had snowballed last week, when the CBI’s Internal Vigilance Unit caught two of its own inspectors red-handed while taking bribes. The CBI inspectors were part of a large CBI team that is investigating the nursing scam.
The two inspectors were caught accepting bribes from private nursing college owners allegedly to declare them fit in the High Court report.
The CBI subsequently dismissed both the inspectors from service.
A division bench of MP High Court, comprising Justices Sanjay Dwivedi and A K Paliwal, also directed the inclusion of one judicial officer in the CBI team.
The court orders said that the CBI team would be accompanied by the Registrar of District Court of respective district, where the reinspection is to be conducted.
The court also ordered that during the course of inspection, videography would also be done so that if needed, the court can ascertain the veracity of the report.
The High Court directed that the reinspection be started immediately by the CBI, which must complete the process within three months.
The court observed that nursing education is not possible without practical education and learning, as it involves a wide range of hands-on skills such as administration of medicines, injections and IV lines, pre and post-surgery management, assisting doctors, operating medical equipment, clinical judgment, empathy and interpersonal communication skills for compassionate care, dealing with emergencies, etc.
The High Court directed the committee appointed by it under the Chairmanship of Retired Justice R K Shrivastava to examine the entire spectrum of practical training of nursing students from linkages for practical training with hospitals till assessment of learning.
The court has fixed the date of next hearing of the case on July 15.