Demand for securing career:  Ukraine returnees seek admission into MBBS in Indian institutions

By Swagatika Bhutia

Bhubaneswar, July  13: Over 500 students from Odisha who were studying medicine in Ukraine and had to return to the state following the February 24 Russian invasion of the country staged a dharna here on Wednesday seeking admission in Indian MBBS institutions.

 The students regretted that their studies had got seriously disrupted due to the war between Russia and Ukraine.

“As we are unsure about our return in the near future, we want to continue our studies in Indian medical institutions till restoration of normalcy in Ukraine. Presently, we are attending online classes. The war has deprived us of practical classes. We want to make up for our losses by holding practical classes  here in India,” said the students.

The agitating students urged the state government to intervene with the National Medical Commission (NMC) and the Union ministries concerned to enable and facilitate continuance of their studies in the medical colleges in India.

“We are really worried as no concrete decision has been taken by NMC for our admission for which we had to sit on a dharna. We would like to demand the Odisha government to give us admission so that our future won’t be spoiled. Four months have passed till we returned from Ukraine but no decision has been taken keeping our future in view,” Abhipsa Nayak, a Ukraine returnee medical student, said.

A few other students participating in the dharna said though they were assured by the Union and state governments that they would be extended every possible support to continue their studies, no specific facilities have been announced for them till date.

“Ukraine returnee students of Odisha have formed a committee. Today, they hit the streets peacefully for fulfillment of their demands that among others included allowing them to study in Indian medical institutions. Even after four months of their return, the state government is yet to do the needful for them. We are requesting the government to allow them to get admission in private medical colleges so that they can continue their studies. This will be a win-win situation for the state and the students, as well,” Dhirendra Jethy, parent of a student, said.