The National Nursing Council (NNC) has allocated 15 percent of total seats in Proficiency Certificate Level (PCL) Nursing and Bachelors of Science (BSc) in Nursing to male students in all medical institutions. The council’s move follows the government decision to allow male candidates enrolment in nursing education from the upcoming academic session.

The NNC meeting on June 19 had decided to let the male candidates apply for the nursing programmes in line with the country’s policy of main-streaming gender equality in every sector. As many countries have already been running nursing courses for both male and female candidates, various health sector advocates as well as many male students have long been demanding that the country follow suit, according to NNC Registrar Laxmi Rai. “The institutions, health service providers and male students have been demanding recruitments of male nurses in order to allow gender equality in the education and health sectors,” said Rai.

With the entry of male candidates into nursing profession, the council is now mulling over removing quota system. The enrolment of male candidates will come into force only in the next academic session. “Due to some technical reasons the provision could not be implemented till now.

But the male candidates will be eligible to apply for nursing courses from the upcoming session. Every nursing institute must provide 15 percent seats to male candidates,” said Rai.If the allocated seats for male candidates are not filled, the institutes can fill in the remaining seats with female candidates. The ratio of the male nurses can be increased depending on the response from aspirant male candidates, the council has said. Welcoming the seat allocation for male candidates, former president of the NNC Chandra Kala Sharma said, “We had tried for nearly two decades to introduce the system, but it couldn’t happen for some reasons. This is a praiseworthy step for the whole medical field.”