Current rules under the National Medical Council (NMC) do not permit students to change their medical college or university mid-course. A student pursuing an MBBS degree in a medical college in India or outside must complete the course in that itself. Because the migration rule was updated in 2021, several medical students are unsure if it applies to older batches as well. But it is more restrictive for thousands of Ukraine-returned medical students—particularly those from their 1st to 5th year—who are now certain they will not be going back to their colleges in Ukraine which has been at war with Russia since February 24.
A petition doing the rounds on Change.org is urging the NMC to change their transfer policy for medical students from Ukraine. It has collected over 4,000 signatures. “Indian medical students from Ukraine who are studying in 1st to 5th year are not only facing trauma due to war but their future too is uncertain. The NMC is on mute mode while students are suffering academically. The NMC must allow transfer of these students due to unfortunate war situation. They must be given a chance to shift to universities in India as well as abroad as per their choice so that they can continue their studies," says the petition, reflective of the mounting frustration of students tired of remote classes in India for a degree which places paramount importance on practicals and lab-work.
But the new rules to salvage stranded careers of Ukraine-returned medical students might soon see the light of day as realization dawns that the war will have long-lasting effects, rendering even neighbouring countries in eastern Europe unsafe. On April 17, some 600 affected students and parents from 18 states held a gathering at Jantar Mantar to request the government to accommodate all medical students in Indian colleges. Organised by the Parent’s Association of Ukraine MBBS Students, a pan-India group, the agenda gave a detailed breakdown of numbers in terms of students and seats.
"There are 15-16 thousand medical students out of which around 4,000 are in their final year for whom the prime minister, the health ministry and the NMC have given permission to complete their internship in India which is a breath of relief. Now this leaves us with less than 12,000 students to be given admission from 1st to 5th year. We have around 600 medical colleges in India which means each college in India will have to increase only 20-22 seats. This means 4 to 5 seats per year need to be accommodated. There are many newly built medical colleges in India where 1st year students are studying. Maximum students can be adjusted in this throughout the course i.e. from 2nd to 5th year," said R P Gupta, president of the Association. Gupta also raised the issue of using existing vacant seats in medical colleges which fill up in the first year, followed by students dropping out in the subsequent years.
The press statement highlighted the NMC norms which state that whenever any medical college in India is closed, the students are adjusted in other colleges. In 2017, Gian Sagar Medical College and Hospital in Banur, Punjab, was shut due to fiscal mismanagement and hundreds of students from the college were adjusted in different medical colleges. The parents are hoping the same logic will be applied to amend the NMC rules by the central government to favour students fleeing a war-stricken country.
"During the emergency of Covid-19, every state government came forward and created emergency hospitals within a short span. Various institutions came forward to provide space for such helpful cause. Government can think in this way," said the press statement from the Association.
"We have been assured by government sources that as a one-time measure, the NMC will create such rules that there are no legal tussles while accommodating extra students in the existing medical colleges," says Gupta.
