Nursing students in peril

BY OUR STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, January 8: On one hand the government talks big about the uplift of the tea tribe people in the State and on the other girls from the tea community are deprived of nursing training once promised by the State Health Department. It seems that the State government is playing with these girls’ career and their future.

Due to the Health Department’s vague promises, around 69 girls from the tea community have failed to undergo GNM Nurse training and they are now facing an uncertain future.

In July last year, the State Health Department, in a function, distributed admission letters among 100 selected girl students from the tea community for three and half years long GNM Nurse training course. Even Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi then assured these girls of better nursing education for their career development. Gogoi also promised that all measures would be taken for the development of the tea tribe people so that they didn’t lag behind.

These 69 deprived girl students now alleged that the State Health Department, through a new circular issued on December 30 last year, said that only 31 tea tribe girls would be given the chance to undergo the nursing training.

Now, the remaining 69 girls, who were also given the admission letters for the same course, are facing a bleak future.

On this issue, the Assam Tea Tribes Students’ Association (ATTSA) president Prahlad Goala said, “These girls have become victims of government’s negligence. The real character of the State government and its Health Department has been revealed with the recent circular. The government is not at all concerned about the welfare of the tea tribe people in the State,” adding, “When we asked the State Health Department for clarifications on the issue, no proper reply has been given by the department concerned.”