At Jantar Mantar, in Delhi, medical students who were evacuated from war-torn Ukraine, went on a hunger strike on Sunday, June 26, demanding that they should be given admission to the country's medical colleges as a one time-measure.
They informed that they were about 12,000 students, minus those from the final year, and since there are over 600 medical colleges in India, every college needs to accommodate 20 students each, as stated in a copy by PTI.
More than 350 students turned up at the protests at Jantar Mantar.
Of these, 35 students from Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan sat on a hunger strike from 10 am to 5 pm, Parents' Association of Ukraine Medical Students (PAUMS) President RB Gupta said.
"We also held a march at Jantar Mantar. We want the government's help in accommodating our children. My child was studying second year in Ivano (Ukrainian city). We are only requesting the government that these children be accommodated as a one-time measure," he said.
PAUMS has also written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in this regard.
"There are 15,000-16,000 (approx) medical students, out of which, around 3,000 are in final year, for whom, the NMC (National Medical Commission) has permitted that they can complete their internship in India, which is a breath of relief. Now, this leaves us with 12,000 approx students to be given admission. There are around 606 medical colleges in India, which means each college will have to accommodate only 20-21 students," the letter read.
"This is an unprecedented war situation which needs extraordinary thinking, steps and solution. We are hopeful that a lenient view shall be taken while taking a decision in regard to accommodating all Ukraine-returned MBBS students and our request may be well taken and acted accordingly. We will be highly obliged," it added.
Several students from India who were pursuing their education in Ukraine had to drop everything and head back to India after Russian forces launched an offensive against the Eastern European country.
It may be recalled that in April as well, parents had taken to Jantar Mantar to protest, demanding that the government intervene in accommodating their children in medical colleges.
A PIL (Public Interest Litigation) was filed in the Supreme Court in March, seeking directions on the same issue. The plea also sought directions to the Centre to provide a medical subject equivalency orientation programme for such students.
The Indian Medical Association has also recommended to Prime Minister Narendra Modi that students be accommodated in the medical colleges of India as a one-time measure.
