P SANKARAMMA Vs. GOVERNMENT OF A P

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THIS writ petition has been instituted aggrieved by the action of the respondents in not considering the application of the petitioner for admission to the 1st year B. Sc. , (Nursing course ). The writ petitioner after having passed SSC (10th Class) examination conducted by the State Board of Secondary education prosecuted the two year Multi purpose Health Worker (Female) course conducted by the Board of Intermediate education, Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad. This course was considered as Intermediate (Vocational course ). Since the petitioner secured more than 75% of marks in aggregate, she had been declared to have passed the said examination in 'a' grade in march, 2007. Writ Petitioner asserts that the curriculum for the Multi Purpose Health worker (Vocational course) set by the State institute of Vocational Education of the Board of Intermediate Education in no unmistakable terms indicated that the candidates who passed the said course without pursuing the "bridge course" will be eligible to seek admission for General Nursing Mid-wifery (GNM) or B. Sc. , (Nursing) whereas those candidates who have prosecuted this course as well as the Bridge course are eligible to seek admission to general B. Sc. , and are also eligible to appear for the EAMCET examination. According to the State Institute of Vocational Education of the Board of intermediate Education, the students who prosecute this Multi Purpose Health Worker (Female) Course will be imparted skills to bring health awareness amongst individuals, families and community, become able to motivate eligible couples to adopt family planning methods, to develop basic skills in immunization and to provide first aid and emergency disaster care apart from acquiring ability to organize health clinics like anti natal, post natal and well baby clinic etc. It is also pointed out that the students are also provided the learning experience in fundamentals of Nursing, Medical Surgical, nursing and maternal and child health nursing aspects. The petitioner has also enclosed the Memorandum of marks issued by the Board of Intermediate Education in her favour to indicate that she had been taught and tested in the subjects of fundamentals of Nursing and First aid, anatomy, Physiology, Micro Biology, community Health Nursing and also tested in the practical aspects of Medical Surgical nursing and pharmacology, Maternal and child Health Nursing amongst other subjects taught and tested. Therefore, the writ petitioner claims that she is eligible to seek admission for B. Sc. , (Nursing) course.

(2.) THE Director of Medical Education has taken out a notification inviting applications from both male and female candidates for admission into 1st year of the 3 year General nursing and Midwifery courses in various general hospitals in the State. The educational qualifications notified as required are that a candidate should have passed xii class or Intermediate or its equivalent examination preferably with Science subjects. It was further notified that the candidates are required to possess minimum of 45% of aggregate marks in Intermediate or its equivalent examination. In Note (1), it has been pointed out that selections will be made purely on merit, on the basis of aggregate marks obtained by the candidates in group subjects, excluding languages. While deciding the merit of the candidates, those who qualify under compartmental system will be placed after candidates who passed in a single attempt. The last date for submission of the applications was set as 18. 7. 2007. The writ petitioner applied for admission against this notification. But, however, the writ petitioner has not been issued any call letter for admission and that when she had enquired with the Superintendent of Government general Hospital at Kurnool, she has been tersely told that since she did not appear for the Bridge course along with the Multi Purpose health Worker (Female) course conducted by the Board of Intermediate Education she is not eligible to seek admission into the b. Sc. , (Nursing) course.

(3.) THE entire controversy in this writ petition, therefore, centres around, the question as to whether the Multi Purpose health Worker (Female) which is a vocational course imparted by the Board of Intermediate education can be construed as an equivalent examination to XII Class or Intermediate examination itself.