THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As part of relaxing the nursing recruitment norms, the centre is planning to allow recruiting agencies approved by foreign governments to carry out recruitment of nurses. A comprehensive legal framework covering this will be brought out by the centre soon, it is learnt.
The Protector general of emigrants had informed the Delhi high court on Thursday that the procedures for nursing recruitment would be relaxed soon. According to sources, the Centre recently allowed 13 agencies empanelled by Saudi Arabia to carry out recruitments to that country.
A similar strategy is being considered for other countries also. Already the order issued on March 12, 2015 introducing the new recruitment procedure contained a provision allowing recruitment by agencies empanelled by foreign governments, sources pointed out.
Welcoming the move to relax the norms, United Nurses Association founding president Jasmine Sha said that over the last one year only 844 nurses could obtain overseas employment, whereas about 25,000 used to go annually earlier.
“Thousands of nurses are facing bank notices for defaulting on education loans. Though the centre imposed restrictions with the good intention of curbing the fleecing of job aspirants, it had brought overseas nursing recruitment to a near halt. Hence relaxations of norms was imminent,” said Mr. Sha.
The United Nurses Association had challenged the government decision at the court. Sources said that even as the centre would be relaxing norms, there would be strict norms to prevent agencies with a dubious track record from making recruitments.
