While boarding his flight back to India from Ukraine, Ashok Kumar, a final year medical student at Uzzhorod National Medical University (UzhNU), Uzzhorod, Ukraine met representatives from Hungary, who were distributing pamphlets inviting medical students to continue their education in the country. Though the offer came as a momentary relief, Ashok knows that the uncertainty is far from over.

The Polish government has also announced that Indian students from Ukraine can continue their education at local medical colleges. Students will be able to resume their education from the point where they had to leave Ukraine due to the war. Final year medical students feel conflicted about the way forward for them.

Difficult call

Ashok says while this has offered students a much-needed breather, they are looking at wasting at least six months in their educational and professional journey.
Explaining, Avnish Sharma, another final year medical student from UzhNU, says, “I am in my final semester, set to end in April 2022. In normal circumstances, I would finish my mandatory licensing exam of KROK 2, along with the result declaration by July 2022. I would be eligible to take the Foreign Medical Graduates Examination (FMGE) in December, conducted by Medical Council of India. This will get me the license to be a medical practitioner in India.”

Those in the final semester will have to spend additional six months to finish it in some other country. “It is only post completion of the final semester that we will be able to take FMGE,” adds Avnish.

Ashok adds that if the situation in Ukraine does not normalise soon, students may have to appear for the screening test of FMGE in June 2023. “As per the National Medical Council Bill 2019, the National Exit Test (NExT) will soon serve the purpose of a screening test for foreign medical graduates. If the first chapter of NExT is held in June 2023, in addition to wasting one year, we will be facing an exam, for which we will have to start preparation from scratch,” he says.

No other option

“We have been told we can restart our education from the point where we are leaving it in Ukraine. The transfers will be free-of-cost and students need to pay only the tuition fees,” says Ashok, who is still unsure of his next move. “Instead of wasting time, I may enrol here and would encourage other students too.”

Wait for a while

Despite the lucrative offers, few students want to wait and decide after analysing the situation. “Ukraine faced a similar situation a few years ago. The final year students were given the degrees without any exam. Instead of wasting time by relocating to a new country and reworking upon the entire last semester, I would wait for a while,” says Avnish.

Students are hoping for an alternative arrangement from the Indian government. “If India comes up with a solution to save the future of young students, it will solve the problem.”