Bhopal: Hanging by thread, final yr Ukraine-return medicos fear for career

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): “Indian government has found a way out for the final year students but I don’t think they will be able to accommodate 20,000 students. They have even put a bar at 7.5% of total seats available at a university. Our studies have suffered because of the war,” said Ayushi Patel of Khargone, a fifth-year medical degree course student in Chernivetsi (Ukraine), when asked about the government’s decision to allow Indian students pursuing MBBS in war-ravaged Ukraine to intern with Indian universities.

National Medical Commission has allowed foreign medical students who have returned from war-torn Ukraine to complete their internships in India.

The government has announced this relaxation for Indian students in Ukraine who were either in the final year of their degree course or interning with their universities so that they can complete their course. This has given them hope to fifth and final year students but has raised questions about execution of proposed relaxation.

“It is a wrong perception that rich students from India are going to Ukraine to take medical degrees. We have taken loans to study there. After spending five years and spending Rs 20 lakh to Rs 25 lakh, I do not think there is any option left for a student but to wait and return to complete degree,” she added.

“One of my friends from India was pursuing MBBS from Lugansk medical university. It has been blown up. It simply doesn’t exist anymore,” Ayushi revealed.

Daksh Thakur’s father, Kamal Thakur, said, “When Russia attacked Crimea in 2014, students were given a degree three months before they could complete their tenure. I hope the government in collaboration with the medical education ministry in Ukraine will find a way out like this.” He has taken loan of Rs 40 lakh for Daksh’s studies in Ukraine. Ayushi Patel and Daksh Thakur have returned to Madhya Pradesh.

BOX:

What’s up?

Indian regulations do not allow foreign medical graduates to transfer to an Indian medical college for internships or examinations. However, National Medical Commission (NMC) has allowed students studying in foreign medical universities who have returned from war-torn Ukraine to complete their internships in India.

Quota: 7.5 per cent of total permitted seats in an NMC-permitted medical college.

Eligibility:

State Medical Councils should ensure that:

1. Student should have cleared Foreign Medical Graduates Examination

2. Medical degree should be at par with licence to practice medicine given to a citizen of the country where degree has been awarded

3. Student has documentary evidence certifying successful completion of physical training or internship during MBBS

Published on: Sunday, March 06, 2022, 12:07 AM IST