I’m a 2nd year student pursuing my MBBS from the VN Karazin Kharkiv National University in Kharkiv, Ukraine. There are over 16,000 others like me, Indian medical students enrolled in Ukraine. We all have been evacuated and are at home, safe and sound. However, our anxiety remains because our future is very uncertain.

The National Medical Commission’s guidelines don’t allow the transfer of students from a foreign university to an Indian university mid-course. But considering the very external factors that have led to this situation, a one-time exception should be made for Indian medical students enrolled in Ukraine. We should be allowed to complete our education in Indian medical colleges.

The Parent’s Association of Ukraine MBBS Students has done the math for us. "There are 15-16 thousand medical students out of which around 4,000 are in their final year for whom the prime minister, the health ministry and the NMC have given permission to complete their internship in India which is a breath of relief. Now this leaves us with less than 12,000 students to be given admission from 1st to 5th year. We have around 600 medical colleges in India which means each college in India will have to increase only 20-22 seats. This means 4 to 5 seats per year need to be accommodated. There are many newly built medical colleges in India where 1st year students are studying. Maximum students can be adjusted in this throughout the course i.e. from 2nd to 5th year," said RP Gupta, president of the Association, in an interview to The Week.

We may be studying in Ukraine but most of us want to return to India and prepare for the FMGE so that we can practise here. The NMC should help safeguard the future of India’s doctors who’re looking to serve their nation.

Image courtesy: Telangana Today