Medical students who studied in Ukraine in crisis; registration and internship getting delayed

KOCHI: Doctors who passed MBBS from Ukraine after surviving war and COVID are in crisis without getting registration and internship.

Those who applied to the State Medical Council have not received registration even after nine months. They can apply for internships only after getting registration. The students and their parents say that despite completing the six-year course, the National Medical Commission (NMC) and the state medical council are discriminating against them.

Those who returned home after the war started in Ukraine and completed the course online after returning home are the ones who are facing this situation. More than 3000 Malayali students are studying in Ukraine. The parents said that 600 of them have completed the course but they are being unfairly denied registration and internship opportunities. The NMC order that those who have studied abroad should do internships for three years has added to the troubles.

The NMC's order of not accepting class pass certificates in place of classes lost due to war and COVID has become a setback. Due to this they will have to do internship for three years. The students are worried that they will not be able to meet the requirement to complete the process within 10 years due to delay in registration and internship.

Parents said the authorities should stop discriminating against students studying in universities in Ukraine, which rank higher than institutions in India in world rankings. Those in the war zone have been allowed to study in neighbouring countries but have not been able to move there due to delays in issuing visas. The parents demanded that the central government should intervene in this matter.

"Authorities should stop discrimination. Don't waste the time of those who have completed their studies. The provision of three years internship should be withdrawn."

- EK Ramesan,

President, All Kerala Ukraine Students and Parents Association