The Russian invasion of Ukraine has caused terror and fear among thousands of Indian parents whose children are stranded in a country where air raid sirens are blaring and Russian forces are dropping bombs and missiles.
India's efforts to evacuate its citizens from the crisis zone were severely hampered when Ukraine barred its airspace. The lower cost of education and easy access to western countries makes Ukraine a popular destination for Indian medical students.
Every year, 20 to 25 thousand students from India aspiring to become doctors, but with a tighter budget than what is required to secure MBBS seats at home, head out of the country.
As per reports, nearly a quarter of them go to Ukraine for the cost advantage it offers as well as its location which provides easy access to western Europe.
According to Ukraine's Ministry of Education and Science, there are around 18,095 Indian students in the country. In 2020, 24 per cent of its overseas students were from India.
The four-and-a-half-year medical course in Ukraine costs Rs 24-30 lakh.
In India, private medical colleges charge Rs 70 lakh to Rs 1.2 crore for MBBS. In the year 2021, about 15 lakh young aspirants had faced extremely competitive National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test, vying for 82,120 MBBS seats, about 50,000 of which were in 313 public colleges.
A Delhi-based consultancy service that fetches students looking to pursue MBBS abroad, in their recent statement revealed that the students who failed to qualify for government-run medical colleges in India, going abroad are an attractive option compared to studying in private medical colleges in India.
Students in India seek admission in medical colleges across countries spanning the Netherlands, Russia, China, former USSR nations, Mauritius to Nepal, Bangladesh and even in Pakistan in the immediate neighborhood but many students still prefer Ukraine because of the strong European cultural influences and advantages it offers.
According to their statement, the advantages mainly include the ease of entry into western countries, either for the purpose of leisure or higher studies such as Germany.
Why do Indian students continue to go abroad despite the fact that MBBS colleges in non-English speaking countries have lower standards?
Right to information data shows that less than 10 per cent of students who appear for the foreign medical graduate examination clear the test. Medical students with a foreign degree must clear this examination conducted by the National Board of Examination to get a licence to practice in India.
There are 10 medical colleges in Ukraine, most of them run by the government and spread across the length and breadth of the country that are top draws for students from India.
Nearly 15,000 students have got stuck in various parts of Ukraine after the Russian invasion. They are anxious to return to India. Around 90 per cent of them are medical students.
Many of the students understandably are sending frenzied messages to their families and authorities back home. Their concerns were echoed by the Indian Medical Association, the largest body of doctors in India. In a letter, the Indian Medical Association urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to seek immediate intervention for the medics trapped in the volatile situation.
The IMA said most of the students cannot afford the escalated air travel cost and even those who can, are unable to travel because of the adverse conditions there.
The Government should help them financially and bring them back.