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MANIPAL: Minister for health and family welfare U T Khader in an international conference at Manipal University here on Saturday pointed that hospitals can manage without doctors, but not without nurses. "Nursing is a noblest profession of all," he said.

 The conference is culmination of silver jubilee celebration of Manipal College of Nursing.

 The minister’s observation therefore is inspiration to the community as a whole, more so for those studying to pursue the profession. Khader called on the nurses to remember their pledge, when in service. "It is not what you treat, but how you treat. The society needs you," he told them. He congratulated MCON and said the institution was a model college for all the colleges in Karnataka and the world as well. Khader also released the book on conference proceedings.

 Dr K Ramnarayan, Vice Chancellor, MU, Manipal presided over the function and released the abstract book titled "Evidence from the portals of MCON". Sharing his thoughts on conferences, he said, "We all suffer from ’instructional elephantiasis’. What he meant was that such a lot of information would be passed on to the participants in the next two days in the workshop. He wondered if conferences like this was meant to inform, to influence or to inspire.

 The days are gone when students are told what to study and how to study. That is pedagogy. Then came the time when students were told what to study. How to study was their own way of doing it. That is andragogy. And now we are in the age of heutagogy. Students do not want to be told what to study or how to study. They’ll do everything, Dr Ramnarayan said, adding conferences should first and foremost inspire, then influence and finally inform.

 Earlier, Dr Anice George, Dean, Manipal College of Nursing, Manipal and director of nursing education, Manipal University gave a brief about the institution, the founding principal P Bhanumathi and late Prof Aparna Bhaduri, and all those who have contributed to the development of the college. She referred to steady growth of college and celebrations of 25 years of existence. Dr Tressey Treesa Jose, organizing secretary of the conference gave an overview.