West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday announced to accommodate students from the state who had to leave their studies in Ukraine due to the Russia-Ukraine war while blaming the Centre for not taking any responsibility of the students. She said the students cannot spend a huge amount of money for their education in another foreign country.
“Two months on, the central government has not yet taken any responsibility for the students who have returned from Ukraine. They have just asked the students to go to Poland and Hungary for their studies. But we have chalked out an idea as it is not possible for the students to spend a huge amount again for their education in another foreign country,” Banerjee at a press conference at the state secretariat.
She added that the state chief secretary, education secretary, and medical health secretary are all a part of the new plan.
Reportedly, the CVs of Ukraine returned students were collected in Bengal after a meeting of the state official and the students on March 16. The CVs have been shared with the concerned departments for admissions, reported news agency ANI.
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{{/usCountry}}A total of 422 people were brought back to Bengal from Ukraine - out of which 412 are medical students (combined of 409 MBBS students and three dental students) six engineering students, and one veterinary student.
According to Bengal's newly announced accommodation, a total of 23 sixth-year medical students will be allowed to undergo an internship at government medical colleges as per norms, and a total of 135 fourth and fifth-year medical students will be allowed to undergo 'Observing seat' at different medical colleges in a distributed manner.
A total of 172 third and second-year medical students will be allowed to attend 'practical classes' at government colleges. Meanwhile, all those students who are qualified for NEET have been allowed to appear for counselling at private medical colleges against the management quota seats for fresh admission, said the chief minister.
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For the engineering students - seats have been offered in private engineering colleges under the JIS group. Out of the three dental students - one who has completed his studies will be allowed to do his internship at the Government Dental College in Kolkata, while the rest of the two students will be allowed for practical classes at government colleges.
The government of India carried out ‘Operation Ganga’ - an evacuation process to bring back Indians from Ukraine as Russia launched its invasion on February 24. Around 22,500 Indian nationals - mostly students - have returned from war-hit Ukraine to India since February.
(With inputs from ANI)