KOLKATA: Though elated after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee gave them a ray of hope announcing her plans to accommodate them in the state's colleges, the students who returned from Ukraine, however, are in a dilemma about their future.
The students, who came back to the state from the war-ravaged country and met the chief minister on Wednesday, were unsure how much the chief minister's proposals would materialise and help them in their career.
Rabiul Shiekh of Katwa in Purba Bardhaman district, a fourth-year student at Bogomolets National Medical University in Kyiv, is thankful to Banerjee for the initiatives she has taken.
"This is quite a good proposal. We must thank the chief minister for taking the initiative to write to the National Medical Commission (NMC) as well as to the PM."
"But it all depends on the Commission to grant it. I don't know how much this will be a success," Shiekh told PTI.
Medical education in India is regulated by the NMC.
Banerjee on Wednesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting him to accommodate the medical students who returned from Ukraine in Indian colleges.
She also urged the PM to relax the norms for them as it is an "extraordinary situation".
Shiekh Akid Mohammed from the same district, a third-year student at Kharkiv National Medical University, echoed the same concern.
"What I understand is getting a nod from the NMC will be quite a difficult thing. You need to do and undo several things to get permission. We have to wait for some time which we don't have," he said.
Fourth-year student of Vinnytsia National Pirogov Medical University, Arnab Das, who hails from Bandel, and third-year student Rahul Debnath from Pandua reiterated the same concern.
The two said that the universities have already started online classes and they were asked to deposit the fees within a few days.
"Even if we deposit the fees, we are not sure whether offline classes will ever start.
And, if we get a chance to continue our studies here after depositing the fees there, how will we manage?" said Raunak Biswas, a fourth-year student of Zaporizhzhia State Medical University, from Baranagar near here.
Mamata on Wednesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting him to accommodate the medical students who returned from Ukraine in Indian colleges.
Banerjee, who met students who came back to West Bengal from the war-torn country, urged the PM to relax the norms for them as it is an "extraordinary situation".
In her letter to the prime minister, she put forth several suggestions including allowing eligible students to undergo internships in government medical colleges.
"For other students, they may be allowed to get admitted at the equivalent level in private medical colleges against the existing seats and these medical colleges may be allowed to increase equivalent number of seats," the letter read.
As those Ukraine returnee students did not clear NEET, the national level examination for admission in medical colleges, Banerjee suggested that the relevant guideline be relaxed "as a very special case" to accommodate them.
"The private medical colleges of the state have agreed to accommodate these students at state quota fees.
The government of West Bengal has also decided to extend financial assistance to these students to meet the expenses on their course fees," she said.
"I also request you that as students who have returned to other states are facing similar problems, the steps that may be taken by NMC (National Medical Commission) be implemented for other states as well," Banerjee wrote in a three-page letter to Modi.
Medical education in the country is regulated by the NMC.
Banerjee on Wednesday met 391 students, who were studying medical and engineering courses in Ukraine.
They returned because of the war and are now facing an uncertain future.
Top officials including Chief Secretary HK Dwivedi were present at the meeting.
"Today we will write to the National Medical Commission (NMC) seeking its permission to allow you to practise internship at government medical colleges in West Bengal. We will also pay a stipend for that," Banerjee told the students during the interaction here.
She directed the state health secretary to go to Delhi and submit the letter to NMC and get permission then and there.
She herself may go to the national capital to pursue the case, Banerjee said adding that if the NMC accepts the proposal, it would set an example for students in other states who are in similar conditions.
She urged private medical colleges to help the students.
The CM said that her government would arrange for special courses for first, second and third-year medical students if it gets permission from the NMC.
As per norms, one pursuing a foreign medical graduation course should complete it within 10 years from the date of joining the course and from the same institution throughout the course of study, including training and internship.
The chief minister told the engineering students that the government will look into their cases too.