Ukraine univs ask students seeking transfer to return for their documents

Ukraine univs ask students seeking transfer to return for their documents

Some Universities Unwilling To Allow A Transfer Say ‘Return To Class’

Hemali.Chhapia@timesgroup.com

Mumbai : The impasse for medical students who returned from Ukraine seems unending. While Indian authorities have permitted them temporary academic mobility to med schools anywhere around the world, their primary university in the host country is refusing to part with original certificates and papers unless some conditions are met — they have asked candidates to come back to war-torn Ukraine to complete formalities for collection of documents.

Several Ukrainian university deans have intimated students that unless they return books borrowed from the library and hand over hostel linen, their original documents will not be released. Most students contend that they left everything behind in their hostels while evacuating in February. Universities in the western region, like Uzhhorod National Medical University and Ivano-Frankivsk National Medical University are, in fact, asking students to return to class on the campus, stating that it is all safe there. They are refusing to even allow a transfer. Urvisha Lalwani, who enrolled at Zaporizhia State Medical University, has now hired a local Ukrainian agent to ferry her documents to the Poland border from where they will be shipped to India.

“It is so stressful. Despite nominating the agent to act on my behalf, the university has not released my documents. Without the transcripts, I cannot take admission in any other university,” she said. Like her, many have hired local agents and paid them $500-$800 to get the work done. Umesh Gurjar, who counsels students keen to pursue medicine abroad, said the process of getting documents back is lengthy and may come in the way of re-admissions because most European medical schools began their academic year on September 1.

“The Indian consulate must take this matter up and get the documents back for students,” said Gurjar. On September 5, the National Medical Commission had permitted Indian medical students studying in Ukraine to transfer to any other university in the world. This would have come as muchneeded relief to around 18,000 students whose careers have been in limbo ever since the Russia-Ukraine war broke out. The NMC notification said it agreed to a “temporary” relocation to other universities around the globe. “The academic mobility programme is a temporary relocation to other universities in different countries globally. However, the degree will be awarded by the parent Ukrainian university,” said the notification. TOIhad reported in March thatmedical schools from across the world had reached out to foreign medical aspirants who were in Ukraine as well as counsellors based in India and offered them admissions on their campuses.

At no additional cost and without an entrance exam, these candidates were promised seats in medical schools. Assistance for transfer had come from institutes in Russia, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Armenia, Belarus and Poland. Ukrainian universities had started online lectures, but with no end in sight to the war, students needed to move to institutes where practical sessions are held. But it seems the NMC notification has come a bit late in the day.

Getting documents from institutes like the National University of Kharkiv is proving to be almost impossible. “There is no water or power. All documents like the original class XII marks cards, credit logs, etc are in buildings that have no power. Once electricity is 9/15/22, 7:06 AM about:blank about:blank 2/2 restored, they will transfer the documents to the other university where the student will take admission. But all this is going to take time,” said consultant Madhukant Kaushik.