Karnataka Govt to approach NMC to solve crisis of Ukraine-return medicos

The confirmation regarding this came from the Health and Medical Education Minister in the State, Dr. K Sudhakar, who informed Deccan Herald that he has already discussed the issue with the Chief Minister and they would soon be writing to the NMC, the apex medical regulator in this matter.

After the attack by Russia, the situation in Ukraine has gone out of hand and thousands of Indian medical students have returned to home facing an uncertain future regarding their education.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that the Union Health Ministry and the National Medical Commission together were trying to explore the possibilities of relaxing provisions of the Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate Regulations, 2021. They were also in talks to find alternative way so that the Ukraine-return medical students could complete their courses in the private medical colleges in India or abroad.

Meanwhile, addressing the uncertain future of those students, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) had written to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and requested him to ensure that those students got enrolled in the Indian medical colleges as a one-time measure.

As per the latest media report by Deccan Herald, the commissioner and Nodal officer of KSDMA, Manoj Rajan on Monday confirmed that a total number of 500 students belonging to Karnataka have now returned back the state safely.

However, after the concern of bringing the students back from the war-hit Ukraine was over, the main concern that faced the government was the future of these medicos.

Addressing the problem, the former CM of Karnataka H D Kumaraswamy tweeted: "The Central government has rescued stranded Indian medical students in Ukraine. But what is their future? It is impossible for students to resume studies again in Ukraine... If all these students become doctors, they can save the lives of people and serve the State. Both the Central and State governments should immediately take action in this direction."

Now, confirming that the government is planning to approach the NMC in this matter, Health and Medical Education Minister Dr Sudhakar told Deccan Herald, "We have already held a lengthy discussion with the Chief Minister in this regard. He suggested a few points and we will be writing to the NMC in this context."

New Indian Express adds that the Karnataka Government has confirmed that the states do not have the power for making a new policy and it is the NMC which has to take a call in this matter.

Responding to the Congress deputy leader U T Khader's suggestion that the government should help the students with their education Dr Sudhakar told NIE, "The NMC formulates all policies related to medical education and there is no scope for state governments to make any new policy."