MANGALURU: Medical students of Dakshina Kannada who have returned from war-torn Ukraine are anxious about their future and are eager to know the government’s response on continuing their studies, even as some students have started attending online classes. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai is scheduled to meet these students on Monday.
Pruthviraj, a resident of Bikarnakatte and a 4th year student at the Zaporozhye State Medical University in the central eastern part of Ukraine, said, “Our university has communicated that full-fledged online classes will begin from April 1. Until the government takes a decision, I will continue here as of now. Indian students, except those from Kolkata, have approached the Supreme Court and we are waiting for its order. Now, one theory subject and a lecture per day is being held. We hope that gradually, full-day online classes will commence. Only 30 per cent of the faculty are teaching online and the remaining are not ready to work until the situation returns to normal in Ukraine,” he said.
Pruthviraj and his friends have a Plan B if the situation in Ukraine worsens. “We are planning to move to other European countries, like Germany or Hungary, to continue our studies as the governments there are ready to take us at almost the same fee structure. I will pay for the 8th semester and continue in another country,” he said. It comes to around Rs 4 lakh, including the tuition fee, accommodation and food. Pruthviraj and some of his friends got the information in Hungary while returning from Ukraine. Hungarian officials in charge of their safety shared the information and gave them their email addresses to write back if interested, he said.
Another student, Clayton Osmond D’souza, said online classes began on March 14 and they will take the next step after Bommai’s meeting with students on Monday. Anaina Anna, who was studying in Kharkiv, and another student who was at Kviv are clueless as both their universities have been partially damaged in the war. Anaina’s mother Sandhya said her daughter will have to continue her studies as they have taken huge loans. “We have complete faith in our government that it will come out with a solution as it is the future of not just 100 students, but of the next generation,” she said.