The Assam Oil College of Nursing and Assam Oil School of Nursing is located next to the IOCL (AOD) Hospital in the small oil town of Digboi. Located in the easternmost part of Assam where the Sun Shines Early and where different Eastern Himalayan Rivers rushes to meet, diverse races mingle, merge and flourish to create a colorful and vibrant and very rich culture, flora and fauna. Way back in 1986, Indian Oil Corporation Limited deeply felt the need of a Nursing school to impart women education, to engage unemployed women primarily from rural areas and thereby giving support to the families who are economically disadvantaged. The existence of the AOD Hospital rendered great support in the implementation of the nursing school project. This initiative today is recognized uniquely as an ancillary institute of IOCL (AOD) Hospital under the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme of Indian Oil.
The objective of the school is women education, employment and empowerment through the nursing profession. The Assam Oil School of Nursing (AOSN), Digboi was established on 4th June, 1986 with the sole objective of providing professional training to unemployed girls in the field of nursing which is in very high demand in society. This school is recognized by the Indian Nursing Council (INC), a statutory body under the Government of India, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare constituted by the Central Government under section 3(1) of the Indian Nursing Council Act, 1947 of Parliament, in order to establish a uniform standard of training for Nurses, Midwives and Health Visitors. The school is also recognized by the Government of Assam. Over the years, Indian Oil has taken encouraging steps to gradually escalate the facilities and ensure high quality in imparting this line of education and training. Although Oil, Gas, Tea are the major economic drivers in this part of the country, there has been a growth in the incidence of rural poverty leading to increase in illiteracy, unemployment and sharp fall in per capita income especially among the women population. The school started with a batch of 14 students and soon increased to 30 students per batch per year. Hence the total of students in the school are 90 in numbers. Practical training at IOCL (AOD) Hospital equip the nursing students with requisite skills and professionalism. The high flying careers and the professional satisfaction of the AOSN alumni evidently speak of the quality and commitment of the School and the IOCL (AOD) hospital in grooming young girls to transform into nursing professionals. The nursing service is factually the right arm of health care delivery system and without a good nursing team, it is practically impossible to render quality medical service to the community. The AOSN contributed significantly to the overall shortage of qualified nurses not only in Assam and North East Region but also in the country.
AOSN has been successful in partially bridging the shortage of qualified nurses thereby bringing immeasurable benefit to society. Of course, the benefit to society, at large, cannot be quantified and the achievement of carving flying careers for young girls is extremely satisfying. All students who have passed out have been placed successfully in various organizations. Some of the reputed health institutes engaging them are – IOCL, NRL, Govt. of Assam, Peerless General Hospital, Apollo Hospitals & prominent nominated hospitals of IOCL. Some of the nurses have also found employment in Australia and Nepal. Encouraged by the tremendous service being rendered to society and continued shortage of skilled and qualified nurses, it is being actively considered to increase the intake into AOSN to thirty seats annually and also to start the course to B. Sc (Nursing) under the banner of Assam Oil College of Nursing.
Presently both the courses: Diploma in Nursing with 30 annual intakes and B.Sc. Nursing with 30 annual intakes are running simultaneously under the CSR project of IOCL (AOD). After successful completion of B.Sc. Nursing course the graduates are engaged in Government Health sectors (Guwahati Medical College, Assam medical college, Diphu Medical College, National Health Mission) as well as in private health sectors of Assam.
