'Waiting for NMC's response for over 4 months': Ukraine-returned medical students continue protest

NEW DELHI: It’s been over four months and still the Ukraine-returned Indian medical students are waiting for a response from the National Medical Commission (NMC) for admission in the country's medical colleges. Staring at a bleak future, around 1,100 medical students and parents continue their protest outside NMC building in New Delhi.

Indo-Ukranian Student Front (IUSF) founder Pulkit Pareek told Careers360, “It has been more than 4 months since we came back to India after being rescued from Ukraine. We are worried for our future and hence holding protests. We request the Government of India to accommodate all of us in Indian medical colleges as soon as possible."

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Thousands of Ukraine-returned Indian medical students and parents held a protest outside NMC in Dwarka, New Delhi on July 5, 2022. “We are urging the government to provide admission to these students. We demand the government that the students be accommodated as a one-time measure to prevent academic year loss.”

Demands of Ukraine-returned Indian medical students

On June 29, 2022, the NMC official had agreed to consider their demand. The IUSF in a press release informed that they put forward four demands before the medical commission and the Indian government. These demands were:

• Accommodation of Ukraine-returned students in Indian medical colleges.
• Allow observation in Indian medical colleges until the completion of the accommodation process.
• Provide transcripts for which is compulsory for any international transfer.
• Validation of online classes till the process is going on.

In response, the NMC said, “The matter is under consideration in commission. The decision will be uploaded on the NMC website for the public after finalization.”

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The IUSF founder and national representative pointed out that the NMC officials earlier told them to wait till July 8 and now they have been asked to wait till July 15 for the future course of action.

The medical students who came back from war-torn Ukraine have been protesting and demanding for clarity ever since they were evacuated after Russian forces launched an offensive against the eastern European country. They staged protests at Jantar Mantar and a Public Interest Litigation was filed in the Supreme Court in March seeking directions on the issue of admission and continuation of their studies in India.