New BSc Nursing Entrance Examination Requirement in Kerala from 2024-25 Academic Year

Starting from the upcoming academic year (2024-25), candidates aspiring to secure seats for BSc nursing in Kerala will be required to clear a mandatory entrance examination. The decision, initiated by the medical education director, stems from discussions held with nursing college management associations in a meeting convened by the health principal secretary. This move aligns with the demand made by the national nursing council for the past two years, emphasizing the need for entrance exams in nursing admissions.

The national nursing council has explicitly stated that candidates who secure seats without appearing for the entrance examination will face non-acceptance of their degrees in the future. While the Kerala government and Tamil Nadu have been slow in responding to these directives, Karnataka has partially implemented the entrance examination system in the current academic year. However, the final decision on the agency responsible for conducting the proposed examination is yet to be made. Initial reports suggest that the task might be entrusted to the state entrance examination commissionerate.

Currently, the LBS Centre for Science and Technology prepares the nursing rank list based on plus two marks. This list serves as the basis for admissions in government colleges and 50% of seats in self-financing colleges. The remaining half of the seats in self-financing colleges is usually filled at the discretion of the respective seat management associations. With the introduction of the entrance examination, Kerala aims to streamline the admission process and ensure merit-based selections in the field of nursing education.