Minister for Health and Medical Education, Bali Bhagat today said that Government would act tough against the Paramedic Institutes which are found flouting norms. “Such paramedical institutes which lack infrastructure and do not meet set norms will be closed and strict action would be taken against the owners,” the Minister said while chairing a meeting of the J&K State Paramedical Council. He added that “every institute should have infrastructure and faculty as per norms so that a highly professional team of paramedics come out to serve in the field including in Government hospitals”. Principal GMC Jammu and Head of Department of Pharmacology Dr. Zahid Gillani, Controller J&K Paramedical Council (JKPC) Dr. A S Bhatia, Registrar (JKPC) Dr. Sandeep Singh, president Paramedical Institutes Association, M S Katoch, besides Principals and staff members of private paramedical institutes were present in the meeting. The Minister asked the administrators/owners of paramedical schools to maintain the prescribed standards in teaching and training the students, adding negligence on this account would invite strict action. He directed the designated authorities to conduct surprise inspections of these schools and take strict action if any institute is found lacking in the standards. Listing the reformative measures introduced by the Government to streamline and regulate the functioning of these institutes, the Minister said that there will be a centralized system of admission for all Government and private paramedical schools/colleges in the State. Bali Bhagat asked the Principals of the paramedical institutes to impart quality training to the students so that their services are utilized for improving medicare facilities in the State hospitals. He said that paramedical institute is a pioneer institute for training the medical personnel and these should meet the set norms in matters of infrastructure, faculty and other requirements. While expressing his disappointment over the way in which the paramedic institutes were being run earlier, Bali Bhagat said that last exams were conducted after a long gap. “No regular exams were held during this period due to which precious years of students were wasted,” he said and emphasized on timely conduct of the examination in future as well. It was informed in the meeting that about 11236 paramedical students appeared in 2015 examination in Jammu province of which 80 percent passed the exam. In the meeting various issues were discussed regarding the introduction of new paramedical courses, affiliation of the institutes, problem of inadequate faculty etc. Later, Bali Bhagat also handed over about 6700 diplomas to the heads of various paramedical institutes for further distribution to pass out students of their respective institutes.
