After NMC, now UGC warns against MBBS in China

New Delhi: After National Medical Commission, now it is the University Grants Commission (UGC) which has warned the medical aspirants to think twice before enrolling in the MBBS courses in Chinese medical institutes.

Advising the students to exercise "due diligence" while choosing their destination for medical education, the apex body for higher education in India reminded how China has not lifted travel restrictions and warned the students, "As per the extant rules, UGC and AICTE do not recognize such degree courses done only in online mode without prior approval."

The veiled warning from UGC comes at the same time when External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar discussed the issue of return of Indian medical students to China with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi.

The issue of Indian medical students belonging to Chinese institutes had been raised by Jaishankar during extensive talks with Wang who arrived in Delhi on Thursday evening on an unannounced visit. Jaishankar hoped that Beijing will adopt a "non-discriminatory approach" on it.

A large number of Indian students had come back to India when China has closed down all universities following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. China had restricted travel by suspending visa and residence permits from March 27, 2020, in view of the pandemic.

According to information available, approximately 20,000 Indian students were enrolled in various courses including clinical medicine courses in different Chinese universities at that time, Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan said in Rajya Sabha on Thursday.

The students are now struggling to return to the universities.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that although the students were desperate to go back to their parent institutes and had sought the intervention of authorities including the Ministry of External Affairs, United Nations (UN), the problem has not been solved yet.

Also Read: MBBS in China: NMC warns Aspirants of Travel Restrictions, reminds of FMG Regulations

Meanwhile, the National Medical Commission has denied recognizing the online studies of those students and the apex medical regulator has made it clear that students undergoing their medical education only via online medium would not be able to appear in the eligibility test designed for the foreign medical graduates.

In fact, earlier, NMC had issued a similar kind of warning in February 2022 urging the medical aspirants to be careful while applying for MBBS admission in the medical institutes in China.

Referring to the travel restrictions imposed by the China Government and the fate of numerous international and medical students who got stuck in their homes due to visa troubles, NMC had reminded the students, "As per the extant rules, National Medical Commission does not recognize or approve medical courses done only by online mode."

Now, a similar warning has been issued by UGC as well. In recent public notice, UGC mentioned, "It has come to notice that a few Universities in People's Republic of China have started issuing notices for admission to various degree programmes for the current and upcoming academic years."

"In this context, any prospective student needs to be aware that the Government of People's Republic of China has imposed strict travel restrictions in the wake of COVID-19 and suspended all visas since November 2020. A large number of Indian students have not been able to return to China to continue their studies due to these restrictions. Thus far, there has been no relaxation in the restrictions. Further, the Chinese authorities have conveyed earlier that courses will be conducted online," further read the notice.

"As per the extant rules, UGC and AICTE do not recognize such degree courses done only in online mode without prior approval," warned UGC.

"In view of the above, students are advised to exercise due diligence in choosing where to pursue higher education to avoid further problems in employment or higher studies," the notice added.

Meanwhile, India has been taking up the matter of the return of Indian students with the Chinese authorities both in New Delhi and through its Embassy in China.

PTI adds that after raising the issue of Indian medical students with Wang Yi, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar told at a media briefing, "I took up strongly the predicament of Indian students studying in China who have not been allowed to return, citing Covid restrictions. We hope that China will take a non-discriminatory approach since it involves the future of so many young people."

"Minister Wang Yi assured me that he would speak to the relevant authorities on his return on this matter. He also recognised the particular concerns that medical students have in this difficult situation," he added.