Kathmandu, Jan. 21 -- A House committee's directive to the government to allow nursing colleges without their own hospitals to resume their academic programmes has landed in controversy following objections from some lawmakers.

The Education, Health and Information Technology Committee of the House of Representatives on Wednesday directed the Medical Commission and the Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training (CTEVT) through the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology to allow the operation of the nursing colleges that have remained closed for two years.

"It is impractical to shut the operation of the nursing colleges while the dental programme [in the colleges that don't have 100-bed hospitals] continues," reads th...