After Centre tells SC Ukraine returnees can't be accommodated in Indian colleges, students to file counter affidavit  

The students and parents of the Ukraine returnees have stood firm in their demand to be accommodated in Indian medical colleges
Picture for representational purpose only | (Pic: Express)
Picture for representational purpose only | (Pic: Express)

Today, September 15, the Centre told the Supreme Court (SC) that the medical students who returned from Ukraine cannot be taken into Indian colleges as the National Medical Council (NMC) has no provision for it. 

Thousands of Indian medical students who returned from war-torn Ukraine find themselves in a lurch yet again. While a handful of them returned back to Ukraine as their universities restart amidst the conflict; others continue online.

All the same, the students and parents of the Ukraine returnees have stood firm in their demand to be accommodated in Indian medical colleges. Even after the Centre’s denial, the students and parents have decided to file a counter affidavit in the Supreme Court tomorrow, September 16, opposing the Centre’s claims, informed RB Gupta, President of Parents Association of Ukraine medical Students (PAUMS).

“According to the NMC (National Medical Commission) Act 2002, there is a provision that students would be provided with relaxation in case of adversities like a war,” informs RB Gupta, who states that they would mention about this provision in their counter affidavit. He adds that though the Centre has allowed mobility, it is not a viable option for the students. “This is not the type of provision we were looking for. Also, the time frame to apply for the mobility programme (which was August 15-30) has expired,” he said.

Gupta also states that colleges in many states shut down and the students are accommodated elsewhere. This would be mentioned in their affidavit, as would be the fact that in the year 1947, refugees from countries like Burma, Pakistan and Bangladesh were accommodated in Indian educational institutes, as per RB Gupta. “If they could be accommodated, why cannot our students be?” he questions.

The question of merit
The Centre has additionally questioned the students’ merit and stated that the standard of Indian medical colleges would be hampered if the Ukraine returnees are accommodated. 

However, Sonia Lumba, a parent of a Ukraine-returned student from Delhi, said, “We will be submitting, along with the affidavit, a list of the marks students score in private medical colleges in India and the marks our students have scored. We will ask the authorities to compare these marks and judge for themselves that our students do not lack merit.”

The parents are also displeased with the Centre’s statement that the students wouldn’t be able to afford the fees of private colleges in India if they are accommodated at all. “Let them allow the accommodation first, the fees come second,” RB Gupta said. He also adds that they would request the government for concessions or for accommodating the students in government colleges if need be. “On the other hand, the NMC is offering mobility to countries like France and UK, which are very expensive. This is incomprehensible,” Lumba said.

“The arguments in the affidavit are not new. The Centre and the NMC have used them from time to time since we started demanding for accommodation,” stated Lumba. She adds, “But eleven states are supporting us. I do not understand why the NMC cannot do so. There is no reason for this non-compliance.”

Meanwhile, Gupta informed that they would also request the Supreme Court that it direct the NMC to validate the students’ online classes, at least for the current semester.

Students speak
“Online class is unreliable, offline is the only option. The University is already asking us to come back for classes, although they have no response when we ask who would take our responsibility,” says Harsh Goel, a fourth-year student from Ivano-Frankivsk National Medical University (IFNMU).

He further adds, “Our options end at do or die, there cannot be another alternative. We are ready to negotiate, all we need is a viable solution because not everyone can transfer or be mobile. I have faith in the SC, we will be provided with some assistance.”

"If there is no provision in the NMC act then situation-wise amendments should be made. The government wasted six months and now we cannot avail the relief that our university was providing because our semesters have started. They talk about mobility but most of the listed countries are unaffordable for us or come with the issue of learning a language and in addition to that, the Indian embassies don’t seem to have had a conversation with them. We cannot restart our journey from the beginning,” says Deepak Kumar, a second-year student from TNMU.

“Going back to Ukraine cannot be an option. The war alarms are on for the entire day. The government had welcomed us back to the country with garlands and promises but now they seem to have taken their hands off entirely," he says.

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