NIOS and IMA jointly introduce new specialisations in paramedical diploma courses – Times of India

By Aditya Wadhawan
The National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) and the Indian Medical Association (IMA) will work on further strengthening the paramedical courses. In 2011, the course was jointly introduced that invited as many as 4,000 students including several working professionals who got jobs working as paramedics.
In a new MoU signed by NIOS and IMA, a few additional subjects will be included under the paramedical courses. The new streams under this course include Radiography (X-Ray Technician), Medical Imaging Technology, and several specialisations under Medical Laboratory Technology.
Currently, there are 55, 37, and 58 Accredited Vocational Institutes (AVIs) with NIOS for Diploma in Radiography, Medical Imaging Technology, and Medical Laboratory Technology respectively. While pursuing these courses, students will be exposed to subjects like artificial limb implantation technology, Radiology, Optometry, Radiotherapy, Radiography Medical Imaging, and many other subjects which will be recognised by IMA.
Speaking to Education Times, Saroj Sharma, chairperson, NIOS, says, “We will be able to increase skilled paramedics through this NIOS course. Students who have passed class XII inthe Science stream with Biology as a compulsory subject can also get enrolled in these courses. It is part of the continuous process to expand the outreach of vocational courses which is also in sync with the objectives of NEP 2020.”
NIOS had designed several paramedical courses in collaboration with IMA since 2011, the new courses will have several innovative specializations to support the paramedical industry. “The new six-month long courses will have competency-based components to the curriculum after taking inputs from doctors, which would ignite the analytical skills of the students and working professionals,” said Sharma.