Are NMC's decisions for Indian students evacuated from Ukraine good enough?

While the Indian medical students recently evacuated back from war-struck Ukraine are looking for a leeway to continue their studies further, the National Medical Council (NMC) has cut slack on some rules and prerequisites essential for pursuing medical courses in another country.

Chennai: While the Indian medical students recently evacuated back from war-struck Ukraine are looking for a leeway to continue their studies further, the National Medical Council (NMC) has cut slack on some rules and prerequisites essential for pursuing medical courses in another country.

The NMC recently announced that it will relax the rule wherein students willing to study medicine in any country will essentially be required to complete an internship in the field as issued in the Foreign Medical Graduate Regulations on November 18 last year. Though the regulations allow students studying medicine in Ukraine to get an internship in India, it also requires them to pass the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE).

The internship is also an essential part of the MBBS degree in China, Bangladesh, and Nepal, which is equivalent to studying Doctor of Medicine (MD) in all other countries. The students who complete their studies in these countries are therefore given permanent registration only after completing the internship. However, experts opine that this facility will be barely beneficial for the 5th and 6th-year students in Ukraine. The relaxation in the internship rule applies only to students who joined after last November.

Opining on the entire situation, HM Prasad from the Apex Consultancy in Hyderabad said, "In the case of internships, there is no big difference with the leeway provided by the Medical Council. There is a requirement to pass the FMG exam in the past to do the internship. Many students with conditions in Ukraine are already contacting consultants to transfer seats to other countries. There will be an opportunity to transfer to other countries in medicine. Despite the ongoing debate on admissions to colleges in our country, it is my opinion that it is not possible."

Though NMC is currently considering the accommodation of students from Ukraine in the Indian medical colleges, there are several doubts regarding how far it could be possible to execute it. Even if the final year students are adjusted mid-course here, the syllabus here and there shall be different. Besides, the expenditure on courses here is way more than that in Ukraine. While Rs 30-35 lakh is enough to complete medical education in Ukraine, the same costs Rs 75 lakh to over Rs 1 crore in India.

Meanwhile, there is a difference of opinions among students too. "Many students are going abroad as a medicine course in India is costly. If the National Medical Council allows me to study here, we are ready to join colleges. But, the exemption should also be given in case of fees. It costs a lot here compared to Ukraine. A lower fee should be determined," says Addala Ahlada, a second-year medical student who was recently evacuated from Ukraine.

Worried about the expenditure in India, a fifth-year student N. Supriya said, "I have another year left to study in Ukraine. The NMC decision resonates with students like me. Some leeway should be provided in the case of FMG testing. Also, think about the situation of second and third-year students. Transferring to colleges here. The cost of studying would not be borne by students from middle-class families."