Kochi: The Kerala High Court has ruled that private nursing colleges must pay their faculty either in accordance with the University Grants Commission (UGC) pay scale or at least the equivalent of what is paid in State or Central government nursing institutions, as mandated by the Indian Nursing Council Regulations.

Justice D K Singh observed that both the State government and the Indian Nursing Council are responsible for initiating action against private nursing institutions that fail to adhere to the salary norms prescribed under Note (iv) of Regulation 5D in the Indian Nursing Council (Revised Regulations and Curriculum for B.Sc. (Nursing) Programme, 2020.

The Court made the observation while hearing a writ petition filed by the Kerala State United Nurses Association–Teachers Association. The petition highlighted that faculty members in private nursing colleges are being grossly underpaid.

Emphasising the responsibility of the authorities to enforce the existing rules, the Court remarked:
“If any private nursing college is not implementing the Indian Nursing Council (Revised Regulations and Curriculum for B.Sc. (Nursing) Program) Regulations 2020, punitive action of de-recognition, etc, must be taken against such nursing college.”

The Court directed the State government to serve show-cause notices to all private nursing colleges found to be violating the regulations.

It further instructed that, after receiving responses from the concerned institutions, the State must compile a report and recommend suitable action to the Nursing Council. The Council, which is the second respondent in the case, has been directed to act on the State’s recommendations.

(With LiveLaw inputs)