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Medical Aspirants gets offer from an unlikely quarter. Russian University have extended an opportunity for students who were in Ukraine as well as counsellors in India to join their campuses. The interesting part is Russia is not charging any additional penny nor they are conducting any entrance exams for admitting the students.
Well there are other Universities from Kazakhstan, Georgia, Armenia, Belarus and Poland who had earlier extended the similar offer.
The Struggle for Life and Education
- Ukraine has been a popular destination of migration for education purposes, especially medicine, because of its European standard of living but with low cost yet internationally recognized academic courses.
- With the Russian invasion, the life and safety of several students have been threatened inevitably. The Battle for Life and Education had shattered hopes of many students. Nevertheless, Operation Ganga has been a massive saviour for safeguarding the lives of the students.
- Many of them who had lost faith in their hopes of returning to India have had their faith reignited amidst the turmoil. There is uncertainty about what the future holds for Ukraine returning students, but as the war crisis has been proving to be a global alert, it can be expected that countries worldwide will arrange special initiatives for students in need.
- Medical students constitute a majority of the approximately 18,000-20,000 Indian students who have been studying in Ukraine. China, Russia, and Ukraine together account for around 60% of Indian medical students abroad.
- Indian medical students who have been forced to abandon their studies in Ukraine and seek refuge back home are putting pressure on India’s government to accommodate them in local medical schools, given the growing improbability of their being able to return to Ukrainian universities.
- Several buildings, schools, hospitals, and other institutions in Ukraine have been demolished or damaged under sustained Russian attack.
- For example, VN Karazin Kharkiv National University and the Kharkiv National Medical University, among the most popular with foreign students, are in eastern Ukraine, the area worst hit by Russia’s invasion. Classes have been suspended and there is no indication of how or when they will continue.
- Given the unprecedented situation in Ukraine, it may not be practically possible for these medical students to return to their colleges there to continue their studies. The uncertainty is likely to prevail even after the cessation of hostilities and till the restoration of normalcy in their universities.
Why Medical Aspirants in India choose to study Abroad
- In India, the number of colleges providing seats to aspiring medical students are limited.
- These arises to a tough competition between the aspirants each year as lakhs of students apply for the limited number of seats.
- These Aspirants show preference for studying MBBS abroad despite the tough competition as the quality of education and the less cost is benefit for them.
- The medical Colleges in India Lack Infrastructure and proper research facilities which affect the learning process of the students. They lack modern technology.
- The colleges abroad are recognized medical organisation like WHO, MCI/NMC/ USMLE. They receive international degree and also opportunity to work abroad.
- There are top Medical universities in abroad namely in Russia, China, Ukraine, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Philippines, UK , Singapore. Indian students prefer studying MBBS in Russia or at Ukraine as they have world rank universities.
How Will The Students Complete Their Education?
- In India, the country’s doctors’ association has been asking for a special provision under the National Medical Commission (NMC) to consider the transfer of such students to medical colleges in other countries valid. This in turn will ensure their eligibility to apply for the entrance exam in India for foreign medical graduates —NEET-FMG
- Ukraine’s state-run universities providing quality medical education at low costs have been attracting Indian students for years. There are around 18,095 Indian students in Ukraine, according to the country’s ministry of education and science.
- About 140 Indian students, instead of returning home during the evacuation, had reached Moldova and were directly admitted to the Nicolae Testemitanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy (SUMP), a government run institution in Chisinau.
- Uncertainty continues to prevail over their future as the Indian medical colleges are not in a position to accommodate them. While some varsities including the Maharashtra University of Health Science have reached out to offer online classes in the interim.
Challenges Before Indian Government
- Seat distribution in India is merit-based and there are thousands of such students who rank better than those who have gone to Ukraine or China to study.
- Also, the time-bound counselling to grant seats in a college is a Supreme-court mandated process under which all admissions be over in an academic year by August 31
- As suggested by IMA if these students are given admission without any assessment on the basis of their geographical locations, medical colleges in India are not evenly distributed.
- So, it will overburden several colleges even beyond a stretchable limit as the number of aggrieved students is quite high. Many experts think that this will suffer the quality of education and training of the existing students in a big way
- The Private medical colleges would love to give them admission as they see the situation as an opportunity to make money but the paying capacity of the parents of these candidates might discourage many of them to go ahead and studying in India.
Will Indian students accept Russia’s Offer?
- The students who have returned from Ukraine are presently under distressed situation as they will not be able to go back to the University at Ukraine for completing the course as the war has created a total mess for the country
- While the students are getting offer from various countries assuring that the fees paid at Ukraine university will be adjusted and the students will be allowed to complete their further education at their universities.
- But such offers at the present are not bringing much delight to the students as they are unable to trust whether the institutes are genuine and the offers are true.
- Among all the countries unexpectedly Russia has extended an offer to accept these students without any additional costs nor any exams and the students can complete their further education.
But The Question Is Whether Indian Students Would Prefer This Option?
- Well Indian students who went abroad for studies had never imagined such a drastic situation would occur in their career path.
- The trauma and panic situation which students faced due to Russian Invasion in Ukraine has forced students to add safety also to their priority list before choosing country for education.
- After the nightmarish experience which students faced, Russia’s offer is not at all attracting students. Also such an sudden invasion has created a lot of pressure among the parents who have sent their children abroad.
Conclusion
Although Indian Government has taken incredible steps for students to return home safely, the education of students and completing their courses is the biggest challenge. Students demand that infrastructure as well cost is to be managed but Government is facing challenges to build such a system where the Indian students can aspire their Medical Profession without hassle. Government has to regularise following points to get Best Medical Doctors from India.
• Fee Structure
• Quota System
• Infrastructure
• Modern Technology
• Practical Knowledge for Students
• Shortage of efficient Manpower
• Only Eligible and Talented Resources to get Admission for such profession
Thus Indian Students who returned from Abroad is less likely to accept the offer put forward by Russia. However they have put forward their concerns to the Indian Government. It all depends now on the Modi Government how they will develop Atmanirbhar Platforms where Indian students can fulfill their dreams of becoming Successful Doctors
