Indian medicos in China require Rs 5 lakh to go back

KOCHI: Although China has opened its doors to medical students after a three-year hiatus, exorbitant airfares and quarantine costs have left parents confused in the country. A sum of Rs 5 lakh is required to get back to China. The procedures in the embassy are yet another challenge.

The MBBS students, who came home during the beginning of the first Covid wave, are now struggling to go back. In China, 10 out of 43 medical universities have started issuing permission to return to colleges. Visa will be granted on submission of NOC to the Chinese Embassy in India.

There is no direct flight to China from India. The students can go only via Singapore. It will cost about Rs 2 lakhs. When there were direct flights, the maximum ticket price was half a lakh. After reaching China, the students will have to spend seven to 10 days in hotel quarantine. For this, they have been instructed to keep Rs 2 to 3 lakh in the bank account. The students have raised the demand for diplomatic intervention in the matter.