COVID-19 waves may have been relatively subdued of late but the trauma faced by medical students registered in Chinese institutes shows no sign of abating anytime soon. While the Chinese government has paved the way for some Indian students to return to China, the vast majority of the close to 23,000 Indian medical students enrolled in Chinese universities have been stranded at home for the past two and a half years.
To raise awareness and call for mobilising the Central Government to take accommodative action, the organisations of Indian Students in China (ISIC) and Foreign Medical Graduates Parents' Association (FMGPA) will conduct "Chalo Dilli", a pan-India mass gathering at Jantar Mantar on May 29, from 10 am to 4 pm. It is to be noted that the Supreme Court had in a recent verdict directed the National Medical Commission (NMC) to frame a scheme within two months to allow these students to undergo clinical training in India at local medical colleges.
Around 300 students and their parents from all across the country are expected to take part in the gathering, as informed by Mohammad Sageer, Joint Secretary of FMGPA. When asked about the message that the organisation is trying to convey to the authorities, he stated, "We want the government to diplomatically push for the students to be allowed back in China. This is our foremost point of concern. Secondly, we urge the NMC to accommodate students for clinical practice alone in India till the time they are allowed to go back to China."
In a conversation with EdexLive, Sageer talked about the current status of the students who have been in a state of limbo. "They have been devastated by the situation. Several students are now in a condition wherein they are unable to repay loans they took for their medical education. Others have been denied loans by banks due to the uncertainty in the resumption of academics. For many, this has taken a toll on their mental health. Yet several others have chosen to permanently abandon their pursuit of a medical degree and have chosen other streams of education. This is the sorry state of affairs that has resulted in the past two years and more," he said.
"The situation is so dire that people are even considering letting their investment in fees go to waste and instead choose other options at home in India. We are seeking a meeting with the NMC so that we can directly represent the concerns that we have with them," said the All India Students' Coordinator of the Indian Students in China community.