Kolkata: Soon after her interaction with the students who had returned from war-hit Ukraine, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his "urgent intervention" so that the National Medical Commission (NMC) allows the second to sixth-year medical students to complete their studies in the private medical colleges in West Bengal.
On Wednesday, Banerjee met 391 students, including 11 interns, from different districts of Bengal at Khudiram Anusilan Kendra.
In her three-page letter to PM Modi, Banerjee suggested that these students be allowed to get admission at the equivalent level in the private medical colleges, which in turn be allowed to increase the equivalent number of seats for accommodating them.
"The Government of West Bengal is highly sensitive to their problems and we have ensured that all students belonging to our state return safely to their homes... they are passing through severe stress and anxiety due to their uncertain future. All these students have invested considerable financial resources as well as time in pursuit of their dreams but they are now left in the lurch," Banerjee wrote.
She reiterated in her letter that the private medical colleges in the state have agreed to accommodate these students in adherence to the state quota and the state has decided to extend financial assistance to these students to meet the expenses on their course fee.
"Most of these students have already invested a lot of money for their studies in Ukraine and we have to consider their case as a special war case," Banerjee stated.
As per the Commission mandate, only those students who qualify for the National Entrance Eligibility Test (NEET-UG) are eligible to get admission into the medical colleges but many of the students who have returned from Ukraine do not meet this requirement. "It is requested that relevant guidelines may be relaxed as a very special case to accommodate these students," she wrote.
According to Banerjee, one-third of the medical seats are reserved under state quota in the private medical colleges too where students can study at government rates.
The Chief Minister said: "If the Commission gives permission then students can study here. They will not have to pay fees. The government will pay half the amount while the remaining will be paid by the private colleges under corporate social responsibility." Banerjee further stated that several private medical college authorities gleefully accepted her proposal.
She also maintained that the Ukraine returnees can also avail the benefits of the Student Credit Card scheme.
"This will also not impact the existing number of seats in the colleges," she informed.
"If a first-year student wants to study in Bengal then we can accommodate him/her in a medical college here. In such a case, the student would not lose a year because in Ukraine medical courses are for six years but in India it is for five years. If a student wants to continue the course in Ukraine then our government will help him/her to pursue online classes and offline practical classes at private and state-run medical colleges," said Banerjee.
Banerjee expressed her optimism that the NMC will accept the state government's proposal considering the pitiful situation of the students and assured them that if the council turned down her request then she would go to Delhi with the students and press for the same.
Banerjee said her government would allow the 11 medical interns who have returned to work at the state-run medical colleges and offer them stipends.
"We would make room for engineering students so that they can complete their courses in private engineering colleges in Bengal. We would also cap the fees so that the returnee students do not have to pay an exorbitant fee for pursuing their studies," the Chief Minister said directing Education Principal Secretary Manish Jain and PB Salim who is in charge of Monitoring of Programme Implementation and Grievance Cell of the state to take up this matter on a priority basis.