Bengaluru: Karnataka government will establish foreign language laboratories in all nursing colleges aimed at enhancing the global employability of nursing students in the state, said Minister Sharan Prakash Patil here on Friday.

Speaking at the inauguration of a new physiotherapy building at Dr B R Ambedkar College of Physiotherapy, he emphasised the growing international demand for skilled nurses and allied health professionals.

"We are being approached by hospitals in Germany, Italy, Japan, and the UAE for immediate recruitment of trained nurses and allied health sciences students. These hospitals require candidates proficient in their native languages and we are taking steps to equip our students accordingly," said Patil, who holds the Medical Education & Skill Development portfolio.

To meet this demand, nursing students will have the option to learn German, Japanese, Italian, and English during their course period, ensuring they are better prepared for overseas employment opportunities, he said.

Additionally, the minister stressed the need to eliminate substandard paramedical, GNM (General Nursing and Midwifery), and nursing colleges.

He urged professional medical colleges to introduce allied health sciences courses on their campuses to ensure high-quality education with robust teaching and infrastructure.