Ukraine-returned students stage protest, seek admission in Indian medical colleges

New Delhi: Students who were evacuated from war-torn Ukraine staged a demonstration here on Friday, seeking admission to medical colleges.

They have urged the government that the students be accommodated as a one-time measure to prevent academic year loss.

The MBBS students and their parents from Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Himachal, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, staged a protest outside the National Medical Commission.

"As all students are future doctors, online education is not a good option for them. Our demand is to accommodate all the students in Indian medical colleges," said a statement issued by the Parents' Association of Ukraine Medical Students.

R B Gupta, President of the association said, "We are gathered here to seek government help in accommodation of our children. My child is a second-year student who is studying in Ivano. We are just requesting the government that these children should be accommodated as a one-time measure."

Meanwhile, the students said they were worried about their future as the war is still raging on.

"We dont know when this war will end. Our studies are getting affected. Our parents have invested so much money and many have also taken loans, all will go to waste if we will not be able to continue the study. So the government should accomodate us," said a 5th-year MBBS student, who did not wish to be named.

Vaishali, another student, said even if the war ends in Ukraine in the near future, the Universities there will take time to get back to normal.

"Our future is at stake here. Universities will take time to get back to normal academic schedule even if the war ends. In that case, our year will be lost. We appeal to the government to help us, she said.