Neeraj Santosh had come very close to achieving his goal. By February 24, when Russia invaded Ukraine upsetting all his plans and snatching away a career, he had just completed fifth year at the Zaporizhzhia State Medical University, Zaporizhzhia, south-east Ukraine. He had just another year to go before he could return for internship in India.
Santosh had left at the very end. Transport problems began as soon as the war started and students were stranded. Also, the decision to abandon his education was not one he could take lightly or quickly. Now stranded in a country being ripped apart by war, Santosh spent the next few weeks just focusing on surviving until the government's Operation Ganga fetched him home.
Whatever relief Santosh felt upon reaching Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, on May 7 was extremely short-lived. He still had two semesters of his medical programme left, the war wasn't ending. Although the universities in Ukraine are calling the students back assuring them of care and protection, students are scared to return to a war-torn country. Plus, the Indian government is not allowing them to return. They are scared they [the Indian government] will not be able to bring the students back, said Santosh who does want to go back.
Over the past two years, as the pandemic disrupted all education, two sets of students have had it especially bad medical students in China and Ukraine. Indian students enrolled in Chinese universities came home at the start of Covid-19 in 2020. Since then, students from many other countries have returned to class but not Indians who continue to attend online. However, things are now looking up with the Chinese foreign ministry saying the process for the return of Indian students has begun.
Denne historien er fra August 2022-utgaven av Careers 360.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra August 2022-utgaven av Careers 360.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
The 50 colleges in 5 countries where most Indians go for MBBS abroad
Data on countries and colleges from the Foreign Medical Graduates Examination (FMGE) 2022 - the latest available - shows that most Indians who completed medical degrees abroad and wrote the FMGE went to five countries.
Foreign medical colleges: Look before you leap
A close look at foreign medical colleges that thousands of Indians have graduated from shows that many are unaccredited, don’t have hospitals or even their own websites
'Either I clear FMGE or leave the country'
After spending lakhs on MBBS degrees abroad, thousands spend years trying to clear the FMGE. That is the only option for Indian graduates of foreign medical colleges to build a career in India
Why hundreds of nursing graduates leave India each year
There has been an increase in nursing institutes over the past two decades but policy gaps, lax regulations, poor pay and opportunities are pushing a large number of nursing staff to seek opportunities abroad
In Kashmir, why NEET and JEE candidates flock to private reading halls to prepare for exams
These are accessible round-the-clock, even on public holidays, have private cabins and booths, kitchen, discussion area and some, even places for napping
Battling despair and depression in medical school
Long hours, bullying, lack of support make a difficult programme tougher for medical students. They hope for clear guidelines from the NMC
This father-daughter duo uncovered a scam in NEET admissions in West Bengal
Several generalcategory students had secured admission in medical colleges with forged ST certificates. Ishita Soren spotted the names, and her father followed up
'Forced to take up bonded labour
There's massive resistance to a state policy in Karnataka that requires even private medical college graduates to do one year's mandatory rural service
‘A routine circus': PG medical students lobby, move court to get stipends
Despite NMC orders, many medical colleges still seriously underpay resident doctors and threaten them into silence. In government colleges, stipends can be delayed for months
Why Mizoram wants centre to take over its only medical college
Mizoram got its first state medical college in 2018. In 2023, it asked the union government to take over. Mixed up in this are questions of funding, MBBS seat distribution
