Indian medical students back in Ukraine refuse to leave war-torn country

Despite the Indian government's advice to leave Ukraine immediately, the Indian medical students who have returned to Ukraine to continue their education have refused to leave the war-torn country.

When after multiple requests to the Centre to accommodate them to Indian medical colleges as a one-time measure, the students didn't get any help from the Indian government, now many of these students have started returning to Ukraine despite the ongoing war. As per the report, nearly 1,500 medical students have returned back to Ukraine and despite the Indian government's warning to leave Ukraine immediately these students refuse to leave the country.

Indian Embassy in Ukraine has asked all Indians to leave Ukraine immediately in view of increasing hostilities.

"In continuation of the advisory issued by the embassy on October 19, all Indian citizens in Ukraine are advised to immediately leave Ukraine by available means," the Indian embassy said.

The Background

Recently many Ukraine universities started offline examinations and Ukraine returned Indian medical students were not being accommodated at Indian medical colleges.

Centre informed the Supreme Court that these students couldn't be accommodated in Indian medical colleges as there is no provision in the National Medical Commission Act. Also, the government added that any such relaxation would hamper the standards of medical education in India.

Many students felt dejected by the Centre's stand and they were left with no choice but to return to Ukraine and complete their education, especially the students in their final years.

Ravi Kumar, a resident of Gaya district in Bihar who returned to Ukraine told India Today, "Our family is worried and they often say that we are not telling them the true picture. But what option do we have? We come from very poor families and cannot afford medical studies in private medical colleges of India."

Read more:

• Leave Ukraine at the earliest: Indian Embassy to students, other Indians
• Ukraine returned medicos relocating to Uzbekistan