A great relief for medicos from Ukraine

The central government on Tuesday informed the Supreme Court that students who returned to India from Ukraine will be offered a single chance to clear the MBBS Final, both Part I and Part II examinations without enrolling in any existing medical colleges. This comes as a great relief to the students who were forced back to India due to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, in the midst of their academic pursuits. Though initially these students hoped to go back to Ukraine to continue their studies, their dreams dried up soon with the conflict continuing to rage. Since then, they have been running from pillar to post seeking 'divine intervention' as existing rules and the law made it impossible for their entry into any of the medical colleges in India. Most of the students studying in Ukraine are not from rich families or so. In fact, medical education turns out to be cheaper there compared to the cost here. So it was a double whammy for them when the governments here refused to take them into their medical education fold.

After a prolonged struggle, hope comes in the form of the latest submission of the Centre to the Supreme Court now. "The students may be offered a single chance to clear the MBBS Final, both Part I and Part II Examinations (Both Theory and Practical) as per existing NMC Syllabus and guidelines without being enrolled in any of the existing Indian Medical Colleges. They can give and clear the examination within a period of one year. Part I, followed by Part II, after one year. Part II will be allowed only after Part I is cleared," the centre informed the bench of Justices B R Gavai and Vikram Nath. The students can give and clear the examination within a period of one year. First Part I has to be cleared and next, Part II. The government also informed the Supreme court that theory examination could be conducted centrally and physically, on the pattern of the Indian MBBS examination and practical could be conducted by some designated government medical colleges, assigned the responsibility.

However, these students will then have to complete two years of compulsory rotatory internship, the first year of which will be free and the second year paid as has been decided by NMC for previous cases. The committee has emphasised that this option will be a one-time option and not become a basis for similar decisions in future and shall be applicable for present matters only. The Supreme Court had directed the Centre to deliberate upon several aspects that came up for hearing before it and arrive at a solution. The decision follows consultation with the States and Union Territories along with the National Medical Council representatives. Apprehensions regarding the students' education quality in the foreign countries was one of the grounds that made the local authorities decline admissions midway in the colleges here. There are several other students who completed their courses online from foreign colleges due to unforeseen circumstances or from China who had to come back due to Covid-19 issues. However, the court was dealing with the Ukraine students case and it had directed the Centre to evolve a solution.