GTA urges CM to allow only Hill students in govt nursing schools under its area

Darjeeling: Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) chairman Anit Thapa, in a letter to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, has requested the state government that only Hill students be admitted in the two government nursing schools in the GTA area.

The letter comes in wake of the online admission system in the government-run nursing training centres of the state. As there is no reservation for students from the GTA area in the online system, many have failed to secure a berth.

The letter states that this year many Hill students have been left out of the GNM admission list owing to the online system, because of which the nursing school seats of the two nursing schools (Darjeeling and Kalimpong) have been filled up with students from outside the GTA area.

"This year there are no separate seats for Kalimpong and Darjeeling training centres as candidates from all over Bengal have filled up the seats of the Hill centres. I would be grateful if you can please allow only Hill candidates admission to these nursing schools of the GTA region," stated the letter.

The Health and Family Welfare department of the GTA is preparing a merit list for the GTA region so that admission to these two nursing schools can be done exclusively for students from the GTA region, stated the letter to the Chief Minister.

"I would be grateful if the government of Bengal accepts this proposal from GTA," reads the letter from Anit Thapa.

The General Nursing Training Schools (government) include one attached to the Kalimpong Sub-Divisional Hospital and another attached to the Darjeeling District Hospital in the GTA area. The Kalimpong centre has 40 seats, while the Darjeeling one has 50.

The total number of seats in the state stands at 2,405 (2,300 for female and 105 for mail trainees) in the 39 government centres.