Students who fled Ukraine start from scratch... in Russia

As the war in Ukraine continues, Indian MBBS students have moved on, with some transferring to other nations under a programme offered by the Ukrainian government. The students, who were in their first year at Ukraine's medical colleges when the war began last year, had to start afresh in Russia, but they are happy.

More than 20,000 Indian students hurriedly left their campuses after Russia waged war against Ukraine on February 24 last year. A year later, with the doors closed to pursue their MBBS in India, they scrambled to find a solution. The main reason for their disappointment were the National Medical Council (NMC) regulations, which prohibits medical students enrolled at Ukrainian institutions from completing their degrees at Indian institutes.

In March last year, the Maharashtra government and Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS) offered a temporary three-month online module. But, students and their parents wanted a permanent solution and were running from pillar to post. First-year MBBS students finally decided not to waste any more time and as the new academic session opened, they enrolled at Russian universities, starting from scratch.

Students return to India from war-hit Ukraine, in March 2022. Representation pic/AFP

Khushi Chogle from Mumbai, who was studying at Vinnytsia National Pirogov Medical University (VNMU) in Ukraine when the war began, has enrolled at Bashkir State Medical University in Ufa, Republic of Bashkortostan in Russia. Khushi told mid-day, "I learnt that many first-year students have begun MBBS afresh. I came here in November and there have been no disturbances. The study pattern in Russia is better than that in Ukraine. So it's great."

Another Mumbai student, who did not wish to be named, said, "My university in Ukraine had offered a transfer to other countries. However, I wasn't too comfortable with that. Since I was in the first year, I decided to join a Russian university. We are enjoying the course."

Also Read: As Ukraine's medical colleges start online classes, students worried about missing practical experience

Some took transfers

The NMC in August 2022 authorised an "academic mobility programme" offered by the Ukraine government, allowing senior MBBS students to transfer to one of the 29 countries, including Uzbekistan, Georgia and Kyrgyzstan. The students' respective Ukrainian university would give the degree after they complete their course at the choice of their college in another nation.

The NMC said the students can then complete their 12-month practical training to take India's Foreign Medical Graduate Exam (FMGE), a qualifying exam for practising medicine in India. A Bengaluru resident took a transfer from Zaporizhzhia State Medical University in Ukraine to Tashkent Medical Academy in Uzbekistan. "Right now, I just want to focus on my studies," she said.

Sahil Pal from Mumbai, who completed two years of MBBS at Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia State Medical University, opted for a university in Georgia. "We were all bewildered to see that Ukrainian colleges blocked websites for foreign students after we failed to pay the tuition fees. This was reasonable on their part, and we have no complaints about it," said Pal.

Pal is one of the students enrolled at the Caucasus University in Tbilisi, Georgia. Although he has not taken a transfer through his Ukrainian university, he won't have to repeat his semesters. "I am allowed to start from third year," he said.

Some are back in Ukraine

In June last year, some medical universities in Ukraine announced that they will be welcoming students back on campus from September 2022, and wrote to their respective students. For most, it was a risky move, but some decided to return. A student from Mumbai, who is in his final year of MBBS at Bukovinian State Medical University in Chernivtsi, said, "For me and five of my Indian classmates, a transfer was not an option, because we were finishing our medical study at the time of the war. Though we continued lectures online, the Indian government does not recognise distance learning. According to the rules, we must obtain a degree while residing in Ukraine. Therefore, we moved back there," the student said.

Feb 24
Day, in 2022, that the war began in Ukraine

29
No of countries students got to choose from