Ukraine-return students question lack of practical session in MUHS’s e-learning module

Due to the ongoing war in Ukraine, Indians stuck in various Ukrainian cities were evacuated through neighbouring countries.

Mumbai: Two months after medical students studying in Ukrainian universities were rescued and brought back from the war-torn country, the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS) has launched an e-learning module so they can continue their studies in India. Nearly 900 students registered for the module on the first day itself. Many students, however, are worried that this module is not helping as practical classes are missing from the curriculum.

Many students had gone to the country to pursue medicine due to lower costs and better prospects. (Vijay Bate/HT Photo)

“All universities have started online classes from March itself and while the MUHS module is considering our curriculum, direct interaction with a teacher is missing,” said Sahil Pal (20), a second-year MBBS student of Zaporozhye State Medical University, Ukraine, and resident of Mumbai. He said that at present he has no plans of registering for the MUHS module.

MUHS has said that practical classes will be started for students registering for the e-module. “MUHS will start practical sessions for students under this module after mid-April,” said Lt Gen (retd.) Dr Madhuri Kanitkar, vice-chancellor, MUHS.

Due to the ongoing war in Ukraine, Indians stuck in various Ukrainian cities were evacuated through neighbouring countries. Many students had gone to the country to pursue medicine due to lower costs and better prospects.

While the National Medical Commission (NMC) has not released any particular program for students affected by the situation in Ukraine, Maharashtra medical education minister Amit Deshmukh assured such students of an ‘alternative strategy’ to help them continue their education. MUHS revealed their plan on providing a foster support system for such students last month and finally launched the e-learning module.

Most Ukrainian universities started online classes in mid-March. While students have been attending online classes as well as appearing for exams online, they are missing practical sessions.

“Our classes are being conducted online but the most important aspect of the education is practical sessions which we are missing,” said 21-year-old Avishkar Mulay, a third-year MBBS student of Bukovinian State Medical University in Chernivtsi, west Ukraine.

A resident of Pune, Mulay is now prepping for his end-of-semester exams and is hoping that the war ends soon. “I hope things go back to normal in Ukraine and we get back to our classes and campuses soon,” added Mulay.

The focus on students evacuated from Ukraine has also raised queries about the government’s stand on medical aspirants from other countries who are stuck in India.

For almost two years, Indian medical students enrolled in courses in China have not been able to return to their campuses amid travel restrictions. Students have kicked off semester after semester online and are worried their degree will not be accepted as classes have been conducted online only since March 2020.

“The circumstances are not the same but the problem that students back from Ukraine are facing is similar to ours. We need to get back to our colleges for physical/practical classes which is not possible in both our cases. Will the MUHS consider our case as well?” asked one of the students.