Language skills key to securing nursing jobs abroad, says Minister

Minister for Medical Education Sharan Prakash Patil inaugurating the awareness programme on Karnataka State Nursing Council online services in Kalaburagi on Saturday.

Language proficiency is crucial for Indian nurses and paramedical graduates seeking employment opportunities abroad, particularly in countries such as Germany, Japan, Italy and the United States, said Medical Education Minister Sharan Prakash Patil.

He was speaking after inaugurating an awareness programme on the online services of the Karnataka State Nursing Council (KSNC) here on Saturday.

Dr. Patil said Indian nursing professionals were in high demand overseas and could secure well-paid jobs by acquiring proficiency in English as well as the languages of their prospective destination countries.

He said language was often the only major barrier preventing nursing graduates from taking up employment abroad and urged students to develop the necessary communication skills.

Dr. Patil said the government had taken steps to make nursing registration and renewal services completely online to ensure transparency and convenience. Earlier, nursing students and professionals had to travel to Bengaluru and wait in long queues to complete registration formalities. The new system would enable them to access the services from their homes, he said.

Claiming that Karnataka was among the leading States in medical and paramedical education, he said the State had the highest number of medical colleges and more than 15,000 MBBS and postgraduate seats. The government was taking measures to maintain quality alongside expanding educational opportunities.