Lok Sabha Question No. 566 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-12-09
Subject: Students Returning to Ukraine
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Dayanidhi Maran

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 566 TO BE ANSWERED 09.12.2022

## STUDENTS RETURNING TO UKRAINE

## 566. SHRI DAYANIDHI MARAN:

Will the Minister of External Affairs be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the students who were pursuing medical education in Ukraine are   returning   to   Ukraine   for   the   completion   of   their   education   despite advisories warning and if so, the details thereof;
- (b the  details   of   the   steps   taken   by   the   Government   to   support   these students on their return to India;
- (c) whether   the   Government   has   taken   note   of   the   reports   that   these students had to return to Ukraine are doing so at the risk of their safety since they did not get adequate support to complete their education in India;
- (d) if so, the steps are being taken by the Government to provide support and assure the safety of the Indian students in Ukraine; and
- (e) the manner in which the Government would ensure their safety and return to India in light of increasing hostilities?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SMT. MEENAKSHI LEKHI)

- (a) Yes Sir . The Indian Mission in Kyiv issued an Advisory on 25 October 2022 advising all Indian citizens to immediately leave Ukraine by available means. While most of the Indian students pursuing medical education in Ukraine have returned to India since the conflict began, around 1100 Indian students are currently in Ukraine.

(b) & (c) The National Medical Commission (NMC), vide Public Notice dated 28.07.22, devised a scheme under which the Indian students who were in the last year of their undergraduate medicine course but  had to leave their foreign medical institute and have subsequently completed their studies with certificate of completion of course/degree by their respective institute, on or before 30 th June, 2022, shall be permitted to appear in the Foreign Medical Graduate (FMG) Examination. Thereafter, upon qualifying the FMG examination, such foreign medical   graduates   are   required   to   undergo   Compulsory   Rotating   Medical Internship for a period of two years to make up for the clinical training which could not be physically done by them during the undergraduate medicine course in the foreign institute and also to familiarize them with practice of medicine under Indian conditions.

The NMC has issued Public Notices in September 2022 conveying its noobjection to the Academic Mobility Program offered by Ukraine i.e. temporary relocation (for the period of conflict) to some other universities, provided that other criteria of Screening Test Regulations 2002 are fulfilled. It is also clarified that there were no restrictions on permanent transfer to universities in third countries for medical students covered under Screening Test Regulations,2002. Medical Students were allowed to undergo online classes of theory subjects which should be supplemented by offline practical and clinical training done in the Medical University and /or its affiliated Hospital during their MBBS course.

(d) & (e) All Indian citizens in Ukraine have been advised by our Mission in Kyiv to strictly follow the safety and security guidelines issued by the Ukrainian Government and local   authorities.   The     Mission,   in   its   Advisory,   had   also provided information about available options to Indian citizens for crossing borders and it remains in touch with our nationals in Ukraine to provide help, when required.

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