94th Military Nursing Service Raising Day to be celebrated tomorrow

New Delhi: The 94th Raising Day of the Military Nursing Service (MNS)is to be celebrated tomorrow, onOctober 01, 2019. Nursing officers will rededicate themselves to render high quality, selfless nursing care to their patients by reading the Florence Nightingale Pledge on the occasion. Additional Director General (MNS)Major General Joyce Gladys Roach; Principal Matron, Army Hospital (Referral & Research) Major General Sonali Ghoshal will pay homage to martyrs on National War Memorial tomorrow. The Chief of the Army Staff will be the chief guestat a function organized at Army Hospital (Referral & Research) to mark the Raising Day.

MNS isthe only all women corps in the Armed Forces. It came into being on March 28, 1888 with the arrival of first batch of 10 qualified British Nurses in Bombay, to organize nursing in Military hospitals in India. In 1893 it was designated as Indian Army Nursing Service(IANS) and in 1902 as Queen Alexandra Military Nursing Service (QAMNS). In 1914 for the first time Nurses were enrolled in India and were attached to QAMNS.

On October1,1926, a permanent Nursing Service for the India troops was formed and was designated as the Indian Military Nursing Service (IMNS). The IMNS made humble beginning and their work was universally acclaimed. On September 15, 1943, the IMNS officers became a part of the Indian Army and the members of service became Commissioned Officers. The organization is headed at the Army Head Quarters by ADGMNS in the Rank of Maj General and at command level by Brigadier MNS in the rank of Brigadier.

Enrolment into the Military Nursing Service is based on the selection which is done based on merit at all India level. The candidates are enrolled at six Colleges of Nursing for Basic BSc (N) from various health sciences universities.On successful completion of the course they are granted Permanent or Short Service Commission in the Military Nursing Service in the rank of Lieutenant.