SRINAGAR: The State Allied and Healthcare Council (SAHC) in Jammu and Kashmir has issued show-cause notices to four private paramedical institutions for allegedly offering Allied and Healthcare courses without obtaining the necessary permissions and recognition from the competent authorities.
Information was available with The Chenab Times that the institutions served with these notices include Boston Institute of Medical Science and Technology in Pulwama, NIMS in Lawaypora, Srinagar, MM College of Paramedical Sciences and Technology in Sopore, and GD Goenka Healthcare Academy, which operates in both Srinagar and Jammu. The notices were issued following a preliminary scrutiny of available records.
According to the official notices, the Council’s preliminary review indicated that these institutions were purportedly offering Allied and Healthcare programmes and operating various types of centres – including study, training, learning, franchise, and off-campus centres – within Jammu and Kashmir. Crucially, these operations were allegedly being conducted without securing the statutory approval mandated under the provisions of the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP) Act, 2021.
The SAHC expressed concern that the unauthorised conduct of these programmes could have significant adverse effects on the academic and professional future of students. These potential repercussions include difficulties with the recognition of their qualifications, challenges in obtaining professional registration, diminished employability, and the overall validity of certificates awarded upon completion of such courses.
In response to the allegations, the Council has directed the implicated institutions to submit their replies within a period of seven days. They are also required to furnish comprehensive documentary evidence substantiating their claims, including details regarding permissions, recognition status, affiliations, approvals obtained, student admission records, faculty profiles, infrastructure details, and hospital affiliations relevant to the courses being offered.
Pending a thorough examination of the responses submitted by these institutions, they have been explicitly instructed to refrain from making any fresh admissions, commencing new batches, or advertising their Allied and Healthcare programmes. Furthermore, they are prohibited from establishing new centres or expanding existing academic activities without obtaining prior approval from the competent authority.
The notices carry a stern warning, stating that failure to comply with the directive or submit a satisfactory explanation within the stipulated timeframe could lead to ex parte action by the Council. Such actions might encompass declaring the courses as unauthorised and unrecognised, ordering the closure of study centres, suspending admissions, issuing public advisories to caution prospective students, reporting the matter to relevant regulatory bodies, and recommending civil or criminal proceedings, including the registration of First Information Reports (FIRs) where deemed warranted.
The notices, which were formally issued by the Assistant Legal Remembrancer of the State Allied and Healthcare Council, have also been shared with the Health and Medical Education Department and the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions for their information and necessary action.
The Chenab Times News Desk