Tamil Nadu Plans 6 New Government Nursing Colleges with 600 Seats

The Tamil Nadu government has approved the establishment of six new government nursing colleges, creating 600 additional BSc Nursing seats as part of efforts to expand nursing education across the state.

The Health and Family Welfare Department issued the Government Order (GO) on September 16, 2026, implementing an announcement made by Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay on August 19 under Rule 110 of the Tamil Nadu Assembly.

Six New Government Nursing Colleges

The six new nursing colleges will be established at government medical colleges in:

- Namakkal

- Tiruchirappalli

- Dharmapuri

- Vellore

- Tiruvannamalai

- Tirunelveli

Each college will have an annual intake of 100 BSc Nursing students, providing a combined total of 600 new nursing seats.

The Tamil Nadu Dr MGR Medical University has been authorised to establish the six colleges at a total estimated cost of ₹270.26 crore, or approximately ₹45.04 crore per college.

Funding and Staffing

According to the government order, the entire expenditure for establishing the six nursing colleges will be met through the university`s self-generated funds. The project will not create any additional financial liability for the state government.

The government order also states that manpower for the new colleges will be engaged only on a temporary or contractual basis. No permanent posts will be created, avoiding additional pensionary liabilities.

1,925 Additional Nursing Seats Approved

The government has also approved 1,925 additional nursing seats in existing institutions. These include:

Additional Nursing College in Coimbatore

The government order also provides for the establishment of a seventh nursing college at the Coimbatore Government Medical College and ESI Hospital. The college will offer 60 BSc Nursing seats.

The 600 seats in the six new nursing colleges are expxpected to be offered from the 2026–27 academic year, using existing infrastructure and facilities. The rollout will be subject to the necessary statutory approvals and affiliations.

The expansion is intended to increase opportunities for students seeking nursing education and BSc Nursing courses in Tamil Nadu.