Kota Alam Shah assemblyperson M Manoharan has written to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak calling for an investigation into the Nursing Board which he alleges is discriminating against Indian students in examinations.

In a letter dated April 29, Manoharan, who is from the DAP, said five students had approached him to complain about the matter and had sought his help.

He alleged that the board had purposely failed the five who are studying at the Masterskill University College of Health Science and who took last year's examination.

The five, between the ages of 24 and 27, are N Nagarani, G Valarmathy, S Rathidevi, V Sasi Kala, and B Nesmalar, and they had sat for the board examinations two to three times since 2008.

They claimed that they had studied for several years at Masterskill and has obtained nursing diplomas, however, they claimed the qualification did not mean they can be nurses automatically as they have to pass the Malaysia Nursing Board's examination to qualify.

"The exam questions were similar to what they had studied and had revised, and they claimed it was impossible for them to fail. However, despite being confident that their answers were correct, they failed," he said.

temple demolition court case 260307 m manoharan This aroused suspicion in them that something was amiss, Manoharan said.

The assemblyperson said one of the students had written to the Health Ministry in August applying to re-sit the examination, but to date there has been no response.

Manoharan ( left ) said the five from poor backgrounds had been looking forward to a career in nursing.

To add to their woes, the assemblyperson said they have to continue to pay college fees while meeting their government study loan repayment requirements.

Manoharan wants the prime minister's intervention to initiate an inquiry into the matter as the country is facing a shortage of nurses but yet these students are being discriminated against.

"I want the prime minister to order investigations whether there is bias in the policy of the Nursing Board in failing these students for being Indians," he added.

"As a result of this, these students are under emotional and mental stress as they already possess a diploma but cannot join the workforce," he said.

Manoharan also called on Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai to resign for failing to do a good job where the Nursing Board is concerned because of its failure to respond to queries.

One of the affected students, when contacted by Malaysiakini , said she had taken the examinations three times since 2008 and each time she failed despite the questions being similar, and was confident that she had answered them correctly.

Different strokes for different people

"However, I cannot become a registered nurse as a result of the failure. I understand the board imposes a quota which I feel is improper," she said, adding that Masterskill has over 1,000 nursing students and was upset that a majority of those who fail are from the Indian community.

"I was told there is a limit in sitting fo the board's exam as they only allow us three chances. However, in other colleges, the students are allowed four. Why the discrimination?," she asked.

damai service hospital jalan ipoh pc 130906 nurses The former nursing student who declined to be named, now works at a health clinic. She said the examinations are standard with 100 multiple choice questions.

"They are the same questions every year but the context is changed slightly but we are able to answer them. Despite this, we continue to fail," she said.

Certainly, she said she and her colleagues want answers and whether double standards is being practised.

What is worrying, she said, is that despite having a diploma, they cannot practise as nurses, and on top of that had to meet their study loan repayments.