Ukraine-returned medical students cannot be sent back now: Centre in Rajya Sabha

The Indian students who returned from Ukraine medical universities are stranded in the country and are worried about their academic future. The centre on Thursday, August 4 stated that the students could not be sent back to Ukraine since the "ground situation" of that country did not permit the return.

Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi made these statements in the Rajya Sabha in a written response. Questions pertaining to students who were studying in Ukraine prior to the Russia-Ukraine war were discussed in the Upper House on Thursday, as per a report by ANI.

"The government has been in touch with the educational authorities in Ukraine regarding the continuation of studies by Indian students who returned from Ukraine. Currently, the ground situation in that country does not permit the return of Indian students. The Ukrainian side has reiterated its willingness to allow Indian students to continue their courses online," the Minister said.

She also added that the National Medical Commission (NMC) has devised a scheme to help Indian students from foreign medical universities who did not undergo physical clinical training due to the extraordinary situation. She said that these students who returned from Ukraine will be permitted to appear in the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE), as per ANI.

"Upon qualifying the FMGE, such students will be required to undergo Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship (CRMI) for a period of two years in order to be eligible for registration in India," Lekhi said. She further emphasised that the issues relating to the education of Indian medical students from overseas were being dealt with as per regulations of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) and the NMC.

About 22,500 Indian citizens and 147 foreign nationals belonging to 18 countries from Ukraine have returned to India since February 2022 because of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. The students and their parents have been demanding that these students be accommodated in Indian medical colleges as a one-time measure to prevent academic loss and secure their future.