VIJAYAWADA : When Andhra Pradesh was abuzz with citizens preparing to exercise their franchise on May 13, Kyrgyzstan -- a former Soviet Republic more than 2,000 km from India’s capital New Delhi -- hit the headlines after a mob attacked living quarters of students this month, instilling anxiety among parents.
What started as a brawl between foreign students from Pakistan and Egypt and local students at a hostel in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, soon snowballed into a turmoil. Tensions escalated in no time as videos depicting the incident surfaced online. This caused significant angst among locals, who viewed the incident as a disregard of their hospitality accorded to foreign students.
While no attacks on Indian students have been reported, the Centre has issued advisories urging students to remain indoors, reassuring parents that the situation is being monitored effectively.
The recent incident has once again reignited concerns over Indian students’ security in foreign countries. Despite positive diplomatic relations between India and its friendly nations, life of students still hangs in the balance.
The rise in population and competition has prompted students in the country, including in Telugu-speaking regions, who often consider having a degree in medicine as a matter of pride, to emigrate to foreign countries to pursue their dreams. According to data from the Bureau of Immigration, around 7.65 lakh Indian students emigrated to foreign countries in 2023, a significant rise from around 2.59 lakh in 2020. With the soaring cost of medical degrees in India, students are increasingly opting to study abroad, paying approximately Rs 25 lakh to Rs 40 lakh per annum, rather than investing Rs 50 lakh to Rs 1 crore in private colleges in India. This trend is particularly evident among those unable to secure a decent rank in NEET (National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test).
People may wonder why students opt for lesser-known destinations like Kyrgyzstan over countries like the USA, Canada, UK, Russia, China, and others. Besides offering affordable medical courses, Kyrgyzstan boasts of a lower cost of living near universities. Moreover, the facilities at these universities are on par with private campuses in India.
While Kyrgyzstan was initially a fallback for many students, the conflict between Ukraine and Russia has compelled several Indian students to select this Central Asian nation. Currently, approximately 14,500 Indian students, including 2,000 from Andhra Pradesh, are enrolled in Kyrgyzstan. These also include the students who had to leave Ukraine due to Russia’s military operation as the National Medical Commission (NMC) has granted Foreign Medical Graduates (FMG) from war-torn country the option to continue their studies in a different country, excluding India. Moreover, other lesser-known countries like Romania, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan have also seen an increase in enrollment of Indian students after the Russia-Ukraine war began. To obtain recognition from the NMC and be eligible to appear for the Foreign Medical Graduate Exam (FMGE), students studying in Kyrgyzstan must complete a mandatory 54-month course duration. To qualify for internship, students must score a minimum of 150 marks out of 300 in the FMGE.
In addition to academic challenges, students in Kyrgyzstan are encountering transportation issues. Speaking to TNIE, M Preetha, an MBBS student, said, “The absence of direct flights from Kyrgyzstan to India compels students to travel to neighbouring countries like Uzbekistan to catch a flight home. This requires booking flights well in advance, costing approximately Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000, with emergency bookings potentially reaching Rs 35,000. Additionally, students must factor in visa applications and endure nearly eight hours of travel to reach Tashkent (capital of Uzbekistan).”
Low fee a major attraction
With the soaring cost of medical degrees in India, students are increasingly opting to study abroad, paying approximately Rs 25 lakh to Rs 40 lakh per annum, rather than investing Rs 50 lakh to Rs 1 crore in private colleges in India. This trend is particularly evident among those unable to secure a decent rank in NEET (National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test)