Centre allows Ukraine-returned students to write MBBS final but guidelines unclear

Hyderabad: The Centre, on 28 March, said medical students who have returned from Ukraine will be offered the opportunity to take the MBBS test in the country. “Students would be given one last chance to pass MBBS Part 1 and Part 2 without enrolling in any current medical colleges,” the government told the Supreme Court.

“As the Supreme Court of India gave relaxation to foreign medical graduates from Ukraine, China, and the Philippines who returned on grounds like war, Covid, etc. The court directed NMC to take up this case on humanitarian grounds and recommended the penultimate year/final year students from these countries who studied online mode to undergo the part-1 (theoretical) and part-2 (practical) exams in India and gave relaxation to clear them in two attempts. But here there’s a discrepancy where clear guidelines were not given to students because there are different situations prevailing at this time for foreign medical graduates (FMGs),” said Dr. Divya Raj Reddy, director of Neo Institute.

“There is no clear mention of what type of exams these students need to undergo in India because already, there’s a screening test called FMGE conducted by NBE, NMC. Is the court referring to the proposed NEXT exam for these students and giving relaxation to clear it in two attempts? Is the court recommending clearing the final exams of Indian medical institutions for FMGs as well? It is unclear whether these students will undergo the so-called part 1 and part 2 exams before they receive the final degree from their foreign universities or after receiving the degree as NMC informed the FMGs that war-torn students can continue their education through academic mobility programme and recommended a few countries in its notification, and many students are continuing their education through this mode. What’s the process that they would undergo after this judgment? These are a few important details that are awaited by the final year/penultimate year students,” she added.

Dr. Divya’s fight for students in Ukraine

Dr. Divya covered the full expenses for ferrying students to Budapest through WhatsApp groups, Zoom calls, and her network of about 100 volunteers from Seva International, Red Cross, and Indians living in Ukraine. She also requested assistance from Olexandr Vasilyovich Starukh, the head of State Regional Administration in Zaporizhzhia; Yuri Mihalovich Kolesnik, the top rector and Vice-Chancellor of Zaporizhzhia State Medical University (ZSMU); and the Indian Railway officials.

“The question is not whether to politicise the evacuation or take credit for it, but what we are going to do about it now and are we competent to do it or not,” said Dr. Divya.

Evacuating Indian students from Ukraine

There are a significant number of Indian medical students studying in Ukraine. Following Russia’s aggressive invasion of Ukraine, their studies were hampered and the students were forced to return to India. The Indian government carried out ‘Operation Ganga,’ safely returning over 18,000 Indian students from the war-torn country.

Nonetheless, the majority of these students returned to India with an unknown and precarious future. Many students are still looking for ways to finish their medical degrees in India, while a majority have been left to fend for themselves.

Relief provided by the government

The Centre announced that medical students who have returned from Ukraine will be able to take the MBBS exam in the nation. The theory exam will be based on the syllabus of the Indian MBBS exam, and the practicals will take place in some approved government colleges.

The Centre further stated that after passing these two exams, students would be required to undergo two years of mandatory rotatory internship, the first year of which would be free and the second year would be paid, as determined by the NMC (National Medical Commission) in prior circumstances.

The committee has made it clear that this is a one-time option that will not be used to make similar choices in the future and will only apply to current issues.

According to a report by Bar and Bench, the Central government informed the Supreme Court in an affidavit that it has decided to allow medical students in India to sit for the MBBS final year. The affidavit was submitted in response to a petition brought by Indian medical students who had returned from Ukraine in the last year of their education. They had asked to be permitted to finish their final year in India.

According to the affidavit, the subject was discussed at multiple meetings of a committee chaired by the Directorate General of Health Services and included the National Medical Council (NMC) and relevant Central ministries.

Following the discussion, the committee has produced the following recommendations for students taking online programmes:

1. Students may be given a single opportunity to pass the MBBS Final, both Part 1 and Part 2 (theory and practical), as per the current NMC syllabus, without enrolling in medical schools.

2. They can take and pass the exam within a year. Students who passed Part 1 can take Part 2.

3. The theory exam will be held centrally and physically on the same pattern as the Indian MBBS exam, while the practical exam may be held by select government medical institutes that have been tasked with conducting it.

4. After passing both parts, students must undergo a two-year rotatory internship, the first of which is free and the second of which is paid.