Karnataka's Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has announced that the state will take a decision on categorising medical colleges in order to reduce the burden of fees on students. The statement comes after the CM attended the last rites of Naveen Shekarappa Gyanagoudar, the final-year medical student of Kharkiv National Medical University, who was killed in the Russia-Ukraine war.

According to a report by the Deccan Herald, the Chief Minister acknowledged the crisis in medical education in the country, which was forcing students to turn towards foreign nations to earn a medical degree. The war in Ukraine forced 19,000 Indian students to return to India and most of them happened to be medical students. 

Only 10 per cent of the aspirants who write the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) each year qualify for a seat in government medical colleges. And with private institutions charging anywhere between Rs 70 lakh to 2 crore for an MBBS degree, medical education in India is out of bounds for some of the aspirants. These students turn to countries such as Ukraine and even China, which are a little lighter on their pockets. 

Bommai told reporters that arrangements are being made in India to accommodate those who have returned, into the system in India. States such as Karnataka and West Bengal have already declared that the students who were pursuing Medicine in Ukraine can complete their courses in medical colleges in the respective states. Bommai has said that the colleges will be categorised into A, B and C, according to the infrastructure available in the colleges. The decision was taken at a meeting that included the Medical Education Officer of the state. 

Meanwhile, Naveen's mortal remains have been handed over to SS Institute of Medical Science and Research Centre, Davanagere, as per the wishes of his family. The body will be utilised for medical research.