Accommodate us in local medical colleges, Ukraine-returned students urge government

As per a list, 1,786 students from Haryana were studying in different universities of Ukraine and they returned around four months ago. The students are worried and waiting for the government to take a call

Four months have passed since they returned from war-hit Ukraine, the future of 1,800 students from Haryana hangs in the balance due to the lack of decision and a framework by the National Medical Commission (NMC) for their further studies.

Four months have passed since they returned from war-hit Ukraine, the future of 1,800 students from Haryana hangs in the balance due to the lack of decision and a framework by the National Medical Commission (NMC) for their further studies. They have been urging the Union government to accommodate them in medical colleges here so that they can complete their degrees and practice. (ANI File Photo)

As per a list, 1,786 students from Haryana were studying in different universities of Ukraine and they returned around four months ago. The students and their parents are worried and waiting for the government to take a call as they are unable to return to Ukraine. They have been urging the Union government to accommodate them in medical colleges here so that they can complete their degrees and practice.

Due to the lack of decision, they are attending online classes and many of them appeared in online exams without practicals.

“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,” said a Karnal-based Ukraine-returned student who is in the fourth year of her MBBS.

“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,” said Mavan, another student from Karnal.

Isha Saini of Kurukshetra’s Babain, who has completed her nine semesters, said, “The government should give an option to the students who have completed four and five years and are ready to join hospitals.”

Parents are concerned about the future of their children and the money they have spent on their studies.

“Most of the students are from middle-class families. That is why the government did not take a decision about the future of nearly 20,000 students in the past three months,” said Sunil Dhawan, father of Ridhanya, a first-year MBBS student.

“The annual fee of both my children is around ₹4 lakh besides other expenses and for the past three months, they were studying online. Even my son, who is in the first year, could attend only two classes before he returned on February 25 from Kharkiv,” said Rajesh Kumar of Kurukshetra’s Dhak village.

The parents of Ukraine-returned students have formed an association and they have moved the Supreme Court for relief.

The apex court directed the NMC to frame guidelines for foreign medical students in India, but there are no updates regarding the same, said parents.

Now, they have decided to launch fresh protests in Delhi and a hunger strike at the Ramlila Maidan from July 16.

They had also taken the up the issue with Haryana health minister Anil Vij.

Aditya Dahiya, director, medical education and research, Haryana, could not be contacted despite repeated attempts.