Ukraine-returned MBBS students, parents protest in Delhi, seek admission in Indian institutions

NEW DELHI: Over 22,000 nationals, mostly students, are staring at an uncertain future after returning from war-torn Ukraine. Students who returned from Ukraine along with their parents gathered at Jantar Mantar today, April 17, demanding admission to Indian institutions to complete their education.

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“Students who returned from Ukraine gather along with their parents at Jantar Mantar demanding admission to Indian institutions for their remaining education. Government should save our children's careers the way they saved their lives and brought them back from Ukraine,” ANI quoted parents as saying.

Placards reading ‘‘Save Career of Ukraine students’, ‘Help all Indian MBBS students from Ukraine’, and ‘Focus Ukraine MBBS Students are future of India’ were seen during the protest, as per the social media posts.

Recently, the All India Council For Technical Education ( AICTE ) had also requested all educational institutions to provide admission to vacant seats available for students who have come back from Ukraine.

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It also informed all vice-chancellors of technical universities and all directors of AICTE-approved institutions that around 20,000 Indian students are back in the country from the war-torn Ukraine, where they were pursuing courses in medical, engineering etc.

According to the Times of India report, “The final-year MBBS students who were studying in Ukrainian universities will get a MBBS degree without appearing for a mandatory licensing exam.”

The Ukrainian government has cancelled the KROK exam which is mandatory for students to get a medical license in view of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, it added.

External affairs minister of India S Jaishankar on April 6 said that India is in talks with countries such as Poland, Romania and Kazakhstan to facilitate the completion of medical education of students who have returned from Ukraine.

Meanwhile, the NRI Commissioner Narendra Sawaikar said on Monday informed that all 21 students from Goa who were stranded in Ukraine amid the war have returned to the coastal state and are currently pursuing their educational courses online.