Imphal, January 23: In the aftermath of the DESAM's declaration that the Irengbam Thamcha Devi Nursing and Health Care Research Institute has been banned for good, the institute's founder Irengbam Ibotombi has clarified that the institute was not established through fraudulent means with the objective of earning only profit.

A statement issued by president of the Irengbam Thamcha Nursing and Health Care Research Institute Irengbam Ibotombi asserted that the institute was set up with the aim to provide complete nursing education at reduced fee of just Rs 15,000 per annum per student.

The annual fee can also be paid on instalment basis.

"The institute was set up after donating the property belonging to my mother for the welfare of the society with a sacrificial spirit", said Ibotombi.

Following an application to the Indian Nursing Council about the establishment of the nursing institute, the INC asked to send a demand draft of Rs 25,000 on August 23, 2005 .

Subsequently, all necessary documents such as no objection certificates from State hospitals where practical classes would be conducted and other documents detailing the infrastructure of the institute were sent to the INC along with the demand draft of Rs 25,000 .

On January 8, this year the INC responded that an inspection team would come to the institute very soon, conveyed Ibotombi.

As the matter was conveyed to the Assam Nursing and Health Visitor Council which is also the exam conducting authority of nursing institutes in the North East, its students have been allowed to appear their first year exam and they have been given their exam centre at Nightingale Nursing Institute, he said while exuding confidence that the Indian Nursing Council will certainly grant recognition to the institute.

Maintaining that the INC would grant recognition to a nursing institute only when all the necessary infrastructure has been installed and its development monitored for a few years, Ibotombi pointed out that its first batch students are only in their first year.

Under such circumstances, it would be in the best interest of all the people for DESAM to relax its stand on the institute a little bit considering the nascent stage of its development.

The founder president further observed that due to lack of requisite number of nursing institutes in the State, a large number of students are going to other States of India for nursing education every year.

Moreover, for the State to have its nursing council, it is a prerequisite to have atleast 20 nursing schools in the State, Ibotombi observed.

He further assured that in case the institute does not get recognition from the Indian Nursing Council by the time the first batch of its students complete their course, necessary arrangements will be made to affiliate the Irengbam Thamcha Devi Nursing and Health Care Research Institute to a recognised institute in order to save the career of the students.

Moreover, the students will also be paid due compensation them, Ibotombi stated while also declaring that he would accept any punishment given to him in the event of his institute turning out to be fake one.

He finally reiterated his appeal to DESAM to withdraw their ban on the institute in view of the given assurances and commitment.

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