Allow Ukraine-returned medical students to study on here, M.K. Stalin urges Narendra Modi

Chennai : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Sunday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to give necessary directions to the concerned authorities and ministries to make necessary amendments in the relevant Central acts for allowing medical students who have returned from war-torn Ukraine to complete their education in Indian institution.

His demand came soon after the Parliament was told that the National Medical Commission does not permit to transfer or accommodate any foreign medical students to any Indian medical college or university.

Stalin, in the letter, pointed out that even though the reply in the Parliament was given in response to steps taken in certain states regarding admission to medical colleges, this has brought to light the uncertain future of medical students who came back to the country from war-torn Ukraine, thus, dropping their medical education midway.

He said that considering the present situation in Ukraine, it may not be practically possible for the students to return to colleges there and that uncertainty will prevail even after the war ends.

According to him, since the commencement of war in Ukraine, around 2,000 medical students have returned to Tamil Nadu, thus, making it the state with the maximum number of Ukraine returnees.

If the government is having difficulties in amending the relevant Central acts for medical admission, then it should take necessary steps at the earliest to provide the students with an alternative option to continue their education in foreign universities with similar regulations and academic ambience, he said.

The Tamil Nadu government would provide full cooperation to all the efforts taken by the Prime Minister and the Centre in this matter, he added.