Ukraine Returned MBBS Medicos continue to protest seeking inclusion in Indian Medical Colleges
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New Delhi: With no solution regarding the crisis of Ukraine-returned medical students, the medicos are continuing their protest. Recently, in an attempt to escalate the matter, the students along with their parents held a protest outside National Medical Commission in Sector-8. Dwarka Phase-1 in Delhi on July 5.
Indo-Ukrainian Student Front has stated in a recent press release that NMC has reportedly asked for more time from the students and asked them to wait until July 15.
"We will wait till July 15 and will announce our future course of actions," the association mentioned in its release.
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that after rescuing the medical students stuck in war-hit Ukraine, now the Union Health Minister was contemplating the possible options for those students, so that they could complete their medical education in India.
Several organizations came forward and urged the authorities to accommodate Ukraine returned medical students in the Indian institutes as a one time measure. In fact, a PIL had been filed in the Supreme Court as well seeking direction to the Central Government to integrate Ukraine Medical students into Indian medical system, keeping in view the ongoing crisis between Ukraine and Russia.
Although the Supreme Court directed NMC for formulating policy to help FMGs who could not complete their practical training, the problems of the Ukraine returned medicos did not end with it. Around 18,000 such MBBS students, after coming back from the war-hit Ukraine, are now pursuing their medical education via online mode, which NMC does not recognize.
It is true, States like West Bengal and Karnataka have been trying at their level to accommodate these students in the State Medical Colleges. However, NMC, the Apex medical education regulatory body in India has not yet come up with any guidelines in this regard.
Recently, demanding to get included in the country's medical colleges as a one-time measure, MBBS students, who were evacuated from war-torn Ukraine, sat on a hunger strike at Jantar Mantar.
They said there are approximately 12,000 students, barring those in the final year, and as there are at least 600 medical colleges in the country, each institution needed to accommodate only around 20 students.
These medicos are facing immense problem continuing their education via online mode, which NMC does not recognize. Even though these students are getting access to theory, the practical classes that hold prime importance in MBBS course are getting ignored. Besides, a major number of these medicos are from villages, where internet connectivity is not that good.
However, offering hope, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has reportedly assured the Indo-Ukrainian Student Front (IUSF) that it would come up with a decision in this regard very soon. Speaking about the same, the Founder and National Representative of IUSF, Pulkit Pareek had informed Medical Dialogues that NMC is likely to take a call on the matter within first week of July.
Meanwhile, in an attempt to escalate their protest, the Ukraine-returned medical students and their parents held a protest outside National Medical Commission in Sector-8. Dwarka Phase-1 in Delhi.
Confirming the same, IUSF in a recent Press Release mentioned, "The protest was led mutually by students and parents, which is representing the cause of Indian students who were evacuated from war-torn Ukraine leaving their studies midway. We are urging Government to provide admission to Ukraine-returned students in Indian Medical Colleges. We demand the government that the students be accommodated as a one-time measure to prevent academic year loss."
The Press Release further adds that NMC has sought more time from the students. Referring to the same, IUSF mentioned, "Earlier NMC officials told us to wait till July 8 and now they are saying to wait till July 15, 2022. We will wait till July 15 and will announce our future course of actions."
Speaking about their conditions, a Karnal-based Ukraine-returned student who is in the fourth year of her MBBS told Hindustan Times, "There is no chance of going back to Ukraine for one more year and we are waiting for the government and the NMC to take a call. If the government cannot accommodate us in local medical institutions, it should make it clear so that we can explore other possibilities."
"We don't think that the situation will become normal in Ukraine in the next few years and as per the NMC guidelines, we cannot exceed the limit of online classes. However, we are left with no other alternative," added another student.
Meanwhile, getting no response from the Indian Government and considering the worsening war situation of Ukraine, several students are considering to get a transfer to other medical colleges in European countries.
Previously, commenting on the same, Pulkit had said, "Now our exams are over and the break is going on. However, by September, we need to know where do we need to go. Whatever the Government decides, it needs to take a call on the matter soon because the students are also extremely anxious about their future. If the NMC does not take a call they will be forced to take transfer somewhere else and when they will come back after completing their education, their degrees will be questioned."
Mentioning that they had kept the option for transfer as an emergency option, a first-year student at the Bokovinian State Medical University in Chernivtsi told Indian Express, "When we came back to India, there was still hope. They said online classes would go on for a while and by June, we could return to university. Even today, the area in which our university is located is not affected as much. They are saying we could possibly resume offline classes in September, but we (students) are not sure if we want to return."
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