Some 10,000 nurses in the country are in the throes of peril, agony and distress after they were prevented from taking up jobs in countries like Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Oman citing the new rule implemented by the central government in the recruitment of nurses from India. The respective officials select these nurses either for service in government hospitals or private hospitals in those foreign countries. However, the order bans overseas recruitment of nurse by private agencies dated 12/03/2015. As per the order, private agencies are prohibited from recruiting nurses from India.
Nurses who are migrating to ECR countries after 30/04/2015 should obtain Emigration clearance. The order, though, has not said anything about the already selected candidate before the law came to force. Among the numbers, majority of them have already obtained visas and some others are waiting for their visas after being selected through approved agencies. Many of them who have visas were denied entry to the airport citing the order that they have to clear emigration clearance.
These nurses after being selected to various nursing posts in ECR with plum salaries have already resigned their jobs back in India. Most of them are carrying the big burden of paying back the education loans and looking after their poor family. Praveen Kurian, one such candidate, told Tehelka that there are between 6,000-10,000 nurses are stranded like this in the country and most of them are from Kerala. “We have given several memorandum to Chief Minister and the concerned state minister, they have only said that the issue will be solved at the earliest since the central government clearly states that those who have selected before April 30 have no objection in going to ECR countries”, said him. The government had written a letter to External Ministry to put on hold the new rule. Praveen said that so far no step was taken.
“May be because we comprise large chunks of non-voting citizens and politicians are little worried about our fate”, says him in a failed tone. He adds that the collective of these nurses has written to Minister of Overseas Indian affairs, Sushma Swaraj, “If she was a Malayali, she should have easily known our situation,” said him.
Milana, 34, another nurse who was selected for government job in Kuwait, too is wary of the situation. She has quit her job when she was selected for a government job in Kuwait in February, since onwards this woman, a mother of a kid, is trying hard to meet her both ends. “I turned 34, and the age-limit for applying for a nursing job is 35. If the government could not solve the issue at the earliest, I cannot go taking a job abroad in this life. Many such people are in worry over the new rule. Last time when our collective met, a nurse heard saying in the meeting that her marital life is on the rocks as she was married off in the hope that she has a job abroad”, said her. Milana vouches that if the Sushma Swaraj can intervene into the problem. It will be solved.
Meanwhile, the Delhi High Court has recently given orders to the Protectors of Emigrants (POE) to take action within four weeks to solve the issue. But the government had given the explanation that the seat of POE is vacant for the last one month and the court has directed to post an officer at the earliest.
Praveen, Milana and score others are now planning to meet the External Affairs Minister in Delhi by mid-November. They said that no politician from other party has given them help for this except BJP. They have told that they would facilitate the meeting, but still we are concerned about the future. “If we lost this chance, then there is no a second chance for us since the recruitment under the new rule is taking time and the number of people getting job is also low” said them.
