For medical students who returned from Ukraine after the outbreak of war, the New Year brings an uncertain future for them.

In fact, over 9,000 students pursuing medical courses in Ukraine did not celebrate 'New Year', as stated in a report by IANS. RB Gupta, President of the Parents Association of Ukraine Medical Students, said that around 22,000 students had returned from Ukraine when war broke out between Russia and Ukraine.

Of these, 4,000 final-year students were allowed to do internships in Indian colleges. The rest were seeking accommodation from the National Medical Council (NMC) and the Central government in medical colleges in India. But the NMC refused, prompting the students to file a petition in the Supreme Court.

These students cannot go to Ukraine for offline classes and NMC will not consider their degrees to be valid if studies are done through online mode. Meanwhile, around 9,000 students went to countries like Russia, Georgia, and Tajikistan to complete MBBS, spending around Rs 10 lakh annually, as per the IANS report.

"But those who have no money have no choice but to wait," said Gupta. One such student from Kanpur, said, "The government should consider accommodating us. We will contribute to the economy after completing MBBS." He further said, "Due to mental trauma, my family and I did not celebrate New Year."

Medical students' plea
In response to a plea filed by Ukraine-returned Indian medical students demanding accommodation in India, the Supreme Court on December 9 requested the Centre to consider the students' situation and come up with a solution, citing it was a "human problem". The matter will be heard next on January 25, 2023.