Ukraine-returned medical students stage hunger strike, demand admission in Indian colleges

Ukraine-returned medical students stage hunger strike, demand admission in Indian colleges

Medical students stage a protest at Jantar Mantar demanding admission to medical colleges as a one-time measure.

Reported By:| Edited By: DNA Web Team 

|Source: DNA Web Desk |Updated: Jun 26, 2022, 10:46 PM IST

Ukrain return students stage hunger strike at Jantar Mantar | Photo: PTI

As many as 350 Medical students, evacuated from war-torn Ukraine stage a protest at Jantar Mantar on Sunday, demanding admission to medical colleges as a one-time measure. The students said that there are about 12,000 students, barring those in their final year and as there are at least 600 medical colleges in the country, each institution needed to accommodate only around 20 students.

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 for the second year in Ivano (Ukrainian city). We are only requesting the government that these children be accommodated as a one-time measure." 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 the final year for whom the NMC (National Medical Commission) has permitted them to 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.

Thousands of students from India studying in various medical colleges across Ukraine had to abandon their courses and return home after Russian forces launched an offensive against the eastern European country. In April, too, parents of MBBS students had staged a protest at Jantar Mantar demanding the government's intervention in accommodating their children in medical colleges.

In March, a Public Interest Litigation was filed in the Supreme Court seeking directions on the issue of admission and continuation of their studies in India. The plea also sought directions from 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 such students be accommodated in Indian medical colleges as a one-time measure.

In a letter to Modi on March 4, the IMA had said such students should be permitted to go to Indian medical colleges for the remainder of their MBBS courses through an "appropriate disbursed distribution", but it should not be seen as an increase in the annual intake capacity.

(With inputs from PTI)