Govt nurses bias against men, beats own order

HYDERABAD: Contrary to its own orders, the government is not allowing male candidates to pursue General Nursing and Midwifery (GNM) or B.Sc. (Nursing) courses in the state.
A few months back, the medical and health department issued GO Ms No 82, allowing male candidates to pursue GNM course in all nursing colleges across the state from this academic year.Both the Indian Nursing Council (INC) and the NTR University of Health Sciences gave their approval to admit male students in nursing colleges.
But the directorate of medical education has recently issued an admission notification in Kadapa for GNM course which clearly stated that only female candidates are eligible to apply for the course.
Students are now wondering why male candidates were denied admission to the nursing courses. They are now demanding the government to implement its order strictly, according to All India Youth Federation representative G Eswaraiah.
"In Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry, male candidates are allowed to pursue the course. But in Andhra Pradesh, male students are denied the same privilege, resulting in loss of employment as health assistants in medical labs," they feel.
The issue of discrimination against male candidates in nursing courses was raised by the executive member of INC, D N Appa Rao. Subsequently, the INC secretary informed the state government that there was no bar for admitting male candidates for admission to GNM or B Sc (Nursing) programme.
The government on March 18, 2005, issued an order: GO Ms 82 asking the AP nurses and midwives council president, director of medical education to take necessary action for implementation of the orders.
When asked about the notification which goes against the GO, the principal secretary (medical and health) I V Subba Rao told The Times of India that the notification might have been issued wrongly.
"The department will take corrective steps so that even male candidates will be allowed to pursue the course," he said.