Adjust Ukraine returned Medicos in Indian institutes as One-time measure: IMA to PM Modi

"The analogy of the aforesaid proposition is drawn on the basis of explicit modality which is availed in the Indian context in case of closure of a ongoing medical college in India whereby the students already admitted thereat they are appropriately disbursed into other medical schools in India in terms of a structured procedure which is prescribed and the same is taken as a onetime exception not to be quoted as a precedence and construed as an augmentation or increase in the annual intake capacity of the add on admitting medical college in any manner," IMA mentioned in the letter.

The war between Ukraine and Russia has put a question mark on the future of several Indian medical students, who are enrolled at different medical institutes in Ukraine.

After rescuing the medical students stuck in war-hit Ukraine, now the Union Health Minister is contemplating the possible options for those students, so that they can complete their medical education in India.

Medical Dialogues had recently reported that the Health Ministry is in talks with the National Medical Commission (NMC) to find alternative solutions to this problem.

Also Read:Ukraine Medicos finishing education in India: Health Ministry, NMC officials to meet to find Ways

On the other hand, the provisions of NMC on the FMG Regulations 2021 had made it mandatory for the foreign medicos to complete the entire medical course, both training and clerkship in the same institute throughout the whole course of study.

However, taking note of the extraordinary situation following the Ukraine-Russia war, the Ministry is trying to review the issue on humanitarian grounds. Meanwhile, yesterday, IMA has written to the Prime Minister with the proposal of enrolling the Ukraine returned medical students in Indian medical colleges.

Referring to the crisis of the Indian medical students who are enrolled in Ukraine, the association pointed out, "The number of medical students who have sought admission to medical colleges / schools in Ukraine is substantial and they are at various stages of their progression. As a matter of set prescribed rule an Indian student seeking admission to any foreign medical college is required to procure an eligibility certificate for the said admission from the then Medical Council of
Indian now rechristened as National Medical Commission constituted vide National Medical Commission Act, 2019 repealing Indian Medical Council Act, of 1956."

"There are good number of medical students who by virtue of the compulsion that has been created as a result of an unprecedented situation in Ukraine have been evacuated and have reached India and the process is on. Their fate and future in regard to pursuance of their medical course to which they have been admitted in medical schools there and are at the various stages of progression is absolutely uncertain and unclear. How long the existing situation in Ukraine is going to prevail is a matter of speculation. Moreover, what quantum of time it will take for normalcy to restore is also unpredictable. Resultantly the period for which the medical students admitted to various medical schools in Ukraine at various stages of progressions will stand stranded is unclear. Moreover, modality in which the loss of this period would be worked out is also a mystery and any other cogent matter related thereto is under shrouds," it further said.

Expressing its concern over the fate and future of all these medical students admitted in various medical institutes in Ukraine, the association pointed out that after completing their medical courses, these students would be termed as "foreign medical graduates".

Further referring to the unpredictability regarding restoring normalcy in Ukraine, IMA recommended in its letter to adjust these medical students in medical institutes in India as a one-time measure.

"All the evacuated medical education learners who are Indian Citizens and have procured admissions there upon seeking eligibility certificate from the statutory authorities in India and at various stages of progression there be adjusted as a onetime measure in existing medical schools in the country through an appropriate disbursed distribution keeping in mind the geographic locational interest of the said learner directing that the said incorporation in the concerned medical college being one time should not be taken as an increase in the annual intake capacity and should be permitted to go in for progression in the respective Indian Medical Schools for the remainder of their MBBS Course. This will also need the validation of certification which has been made by the competent academic authorities of
the medical schools where they were originally admitted in medical schools in Ukraine whereby the progression of theirs' would be permissible in Indian Medical Schools. Resultantly, on passing out they will be as good as Indian Medical Graduates and not Foreign Medical Graduates. This will not only be a great sucker to saving all of them from their uncertain fate and future but would also go a long way in catering to a larger human cause in a most befitting manner," IMA mentioned in the letter.

"It is on the basis of the very fraction which is availed in case of Indian Medical Schools for accommodation of the students in other medical schools in contingencies which is required to be utilized for the helpless and unfortunate students admitted to medical colleges in Ukraine and stand heavily victimized due to an unprecedented situation which is not their creation and also for no fault of theirs," further read the letter.