Kerala will establish a dedicated Nursing University and increase the number of nursing seats in the state by 50 per cent, Chief Minister V D Satheesan announced, as the government seeks to make nursing education more accessible to students.

Speaking at the state conference of the Kerala Government Nurses Union, CM Satheesan said the government would give priority to the health sector despite its financial constraints. He said the state was prepared to restrict expenditure in other departments, if necessary, to strengthen healthcare services and education.

A large number of students from Kerala travel to other states to pursue nursing courses, often spending between Rs 15 lakh and Rs 20 lakh on their education, the Chief Minister said. The proposed university and expansion of seats are intended to bring more nursing education opportunities within the state and reduce the financial burden on students.

CM Satheesan also said the regulations imposed by the Kerala Nurses and Midwives Council were stricter than those prescribed by the Indian Nursing Council. The state government has decided to ease certain regulations to facilitate the expansion of nursing education, he said.

He assured that the increase in seats would not come at the cost of academic standards and said the government would maintain the quality of nursing education while expanding capacity.

The announcement comes as Kerala continues to make administrative and regulatory decisions concerning nursing colleges and admissions. The state Health and Family Welfare Department issued several orders in November relating to permissions for new nursing courses, changes in approved seat strength and allocation of government merit seats in private self-financing institutions.

An order issued on November 4, for instance, approved an increase in the BSc Nursing intake at Wellcare College of Nursing in Ernakulam to 90 seats. On November 11, the department also issued an order approving the seat matrix for government merit admissions to BSc Nursing courses in private self-financing colleges for the 2026-27 academic year.

Kerala has a long-standing presence in nursing education, with nurses from the state working in hospitals and healthcare systems across India and overseas.