2 years into paramedical courses, students find themselves in vocational training; 300 protest in North Bengal

Paramedical Courses: “We are in our final year and after three months we are supposed to start our internship and now they tell us that the certificate we will get is for vocational training,” said Anugraha Limbu, one of over 300 students protesting outside Asha Paramedical and Nursing Institute in Salbari, Siliguri. The students claim the paramedical institute misled them during admissions; the protests have invited police intervention.

Students from across Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Sikkim and neighbouring Nepal, enrolled at the institute believing they were pursuing recognised nursing and paramedical courses, leading to diplomas for those from non-science backgrounds and degrees for those who had done science till Class 12.

Nearly a year into the programmes, students allege that they were informed that only those with science backgrounds would be permitted to continue in paramedic programmes – an eligibility criterion never mentioned during admissions.

Dipto De, state secretary (North Bengal) of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), said students from arts, science, and commerce backgrounds were admitted without verification of their Class 11 and 12 academic streams.

“At the time of admission, background did not matter. Later, students were told that only science students could continue with nursing or paramedical courses, while others would be moved to vocational training,” he said.

The situation escalated when students approached teachers seeking explanation. According to the students, they were not given clear answers.

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On February 8, Raju Bista, member of parliament from Darjeeling, wrote to C Sudhakar, IPS, the commissioner of police, Siliuguri Metropolitan area, seeking investigation into the complaints raised by the students. Bista wrote on the allegations that the students were misled into enrolling in paramedical and nursing courses which are not recognised.

Paramedical Courses: ‘Worthless’ certificates, jobless graduates

The situation at Asha Paramedical and Nursing Institute escalated when former students joined the protest alleging that their certificates hold no value in the job market and were being rejected by employers.

“I was told only two students from earlier batches managed to find employment, while others were informed that their certificates were invalid,” De said.

As tensions mounted, De alleged that the institute authorities, including the director, fled the premises. He said Pradhan Nagar police in Darjeeling district – whose jurisdiction the institution falls under – initially refused to register the students’ complaints. But a complaint has now been filed.

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Paramedical Course: UG, diploma certificates, institute status

Limbu is pursuing paramedical studies in radiology while her sister, also enrolled at the institute, is in pathology. Different batches of students have received certificates with different levels of qualifications despite all attending two-year programmes.

Identity cards issued to the 2026 batch describe the institution as ‘Asha Vocational Training Centre’ despite students believing they had enrolled in a paramedical institute. Limbu said students from the 2023 batch received certificates calling the institute a ‘paramedical training centre’, while newer certificates mention ‘vocational training centre’.

“We were told before joining that it is a paramedical institute. When we questioned them, they said it was just a name change. When we kept asking, they ran off,” she said, referring to institute officials, including its director, Surendra Prem.

Limbu was scheduled to write her final examinations in April 2026.

Students said the institute has more than 300 students across morning and evening batches, with only seven or eight teachers. It charges Rs 1.3 lakh for diploma programmes and Rs 2.6 lakh for what they claimed was an undergraduate degree for science students – both spanning two years.

“Since my sister and I are from humanities background, we had to pay Rs 1.3 lakh each for a diploma,” she added.

The protesting students are demanding the refund of admission fees and all other payments made to the institute. They are also demanding compensation for the academic years and time already lost.

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Siliguri Paramedical Institute: Hostel facilities

Students also raised concerns about hostel facilities run by the institute. According to Limbu, students paid Rs 7,000 per month but faced serious issues.

“The warden, a man, would enter the hostel at any time without alerting us. The food was pathetic,” she said, adding that many students, including herself, later shifted to rented accommodation.

Repeated attempts to contact the institute failed. One call was received by an individual who claimed the number – listed on the Asha Institute's website – actually belongs to Shradha Nursing Home and that the latter, bothered by the deluge of calls, is also considering filing a complaint against Asha Paramedical Institute.

Another student of the institute said that the mobile phones of the authorities of the institute have been seized. The institute opened in 2022.