Ukraine crisis: For Indian students who have returned, future seems tense

For scores of Indian students in safe zones or back home, it's only momentary relief. While there is no threat to their lives, they are now worried about their studies that have been interrupted, bringing in a lot of uncertainties. Thousands of Indian students head to Ukraine for higher studies every year. The fee of the entire MBBS course costs about Rs 40 lakh there, while it touches Rs 1.1 crore in a private medical college in India.

Indian students flash victory sign after crossing the Ukraine-Poland border, in Budomierz, Poland, on Wednesday. Pic/PTI

Utkarsh Singh, a student of Ternopil National Medical University, said he had reached Bucharest but was being enveloped by anxiety. "Our future is in dark right now. Somehow we managed to escape from Ukraine but we don't have any option left for our further studies. We have already paid R35-40 lakh to the university for the 6-year MBBS course. If Russia takes over Ukraine, then our degrees will have no value."

Singh said, "I joined this university in 2018. I'm in my 4th year. Currently, I am in a Romanian shelter and reaching the airport. I don't know how we will study. My parents spent so much money on my education. The Indian government should help us in our further studies." The Hungarian government has offered to help the Indian students with their studies, he said. "If possible we will go there."

Keranap Kirupakaran is in her fifth year of MBBS at Kharkiv National Medical University

Affordability is not the only factor that brings Indian students to Ukraine. The colleges are particular about discipline. "No student is allowed to take a single day off and 100% attendance is mandatory for giving exams. We have classes and practicals daily from 9 am to 5 pm," said a student. An estimated 20,000 Indian students were there in Ukraine in January, as per the Indian government.

The universities in Ukraine officer specialised courses in medical biology, medical chemistry, anatomy, biochemistry, physiology, pathology, forensic science, surgery, internal medicine, microbiology, pharmacology and neurology. For Keranap Kirupakaran, the struggle to reach a safer place was still on. She is in her fifth year of MBBS at Kharkiv National Medical University. She said the Karnataka student who died in Russian shelling on Tuesday was her junior.

20k
Estimated no. of Indian students in Ukraine in Jan