Medical students returning from war-torn Ukraine will have to clear the foreign medical graduate exam if they wish to pursue medicine in India, a senior official at the National Medical Commission (NMC), the body that regulates medical education in the country, told ET.
“There are clear-cut rules for students pursuing medical education in other countries and the same will be followed for those returning from Ukraine,” NMC member Vijayendra Kumar told ET. He said there is no proposal to make an exception for medical students returning from Ukraine, which is under attack from Russia.
The matter is under discussion at the NMC.
“Rules are rules and they have to be followed by everyone,” said Kumar. “Even students who were pursuing medicine in China got affected due to Covid-19. They have not been given any exception, then why should it be given to any other students.”
Kumar said NMC is not considering any amendment to any rules as of now, as the Ukraine conflict will not continue forever. “They will have to clear the foreign medical graduate exam if they want to pursue medicine in India,” Kumar said.
On Friday, the NMC amended a rule thereby allowing graduates from Ukraine to complete their internship in India.
Doctors’ body Indian Medical Association (IMA) had earlier recommended the accommodation of all medical students evacuated from Ukraine in medical schools in India.
In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, IMA had expressed concern regarding the future of Indian students who are pursuing a medical degree in Ukraine.
The IMA had sought a one-time measure for these students through an appropriate distribution in other medical colleges. The IMA also noted that it should not be considered an increase in the annual intake capacity.
According to the IMA, these medical students should be permitted to go to the respective Indian Medical Schools for the remainder of their MBBS course.
Uncertainty looms over the continuation of studies for medical students returning from Ukraine, as migrating from one medical college to another is not permissible as per the regulations framed by the National Medical Council.
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