Seven nursing colleges, all private, recorded zero admissions when the Maharashtra Common Entrance Test (CET) cell concluded B.Sc. Nursing Admissions for Academic Year 2025-2.
Of the seven, three are from Beed, while one is from Nanded, Nashik, Yavatmal and Thane. Additionally, 33 private nursing colleges reported fewer than 10 admissions each, with some admitting only one or two students.
Of the 16,530 seats available, only 10,957 were filled, leaving 5,573 seats vacant. Of these 5,567 vacancies are in private schools.
According to experts, this has once again highlighted the urgent need to regulate the rise of private nursing colleges in Maharashtra. Currently, there are 294 universities offering B.Sc. Nursing courses, of which only 17 are government-run universities, offer 1,180 places. Admissions at public universities were almost full, with 1,174 places confirmed and only six vacancies.
However, the state has 277 private nursing colleges with a total capacity of 15,350 seats. But admissions were only confirmed for 9,783 places, leaving 5,563 vacancies.
Experts point out that this is the situation despite the relaxation of eligibility criteria. Under the revised rules, all candidates appearing for the Nursing CET were able to apply for admission, irrespective of whether they achieved the previous mandatory percentile score of 50. But private universities have also highlighted that this relaxation came at the end of the admission process, making it useless.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the principal of a well-known private nursing school said, “This situation puts private nursing schools in a bad situation. However, several private institutions have recorded a considerable number of admissions.” According to the universities, instead of blaming private universities, it is necessary to timely regulate the granting of approvals for new universities.
Maharashtra Nursing Council president Dr Ramling Mali said there should be a limit on approval of new universities. “In nursing education, approvals for new universities are often granted very late, delaying the start of admissions. As a result, students opt for alternative courses. The government should introduce timely regulations for approval of new universities and set a clear deadline for completing admissions,” he said.