Around 90 Kerala students, who were studying medicine in various Chinese universities but had to return following the COVID outbreak, are awaiting a favourable response from the National Medical Council (NMC) to allow them to avail practical training in Indian medical hospitals and validate their online classes.

The Parent Association of Foreign Medical Students, a registered association formed to ensure the welfare of Indian students who are pursuing their medical education abroad, especially in China, had approached the Kerala High Court seeking its intervention, as per a report by IANS. The court, after hearing the plea, directed the NMC to file an affidavit and posted the case to August 29.

"Learned standing counsel for the National Medical Commission shall cause an affidavit to be filed by a responsible officer regarding the Commission's stand as to whether petitioners can be permitted to attend classes in the Medical Colleges as a temporary measure till they are able to return to China for attending regular classes in the respective institutions," read the order, as per IANS. 

The students pleaded that they were pursuing their degrees in top universities in China, which had facilities on par with Indian medical colleges and were also approved by the NMC, but after their return, they have been attending online classes, thereby, missing out on the usual clinical training.