As war rages on, the long wait for Ukraine-returned Indian students continues

A cloud of uncertainty hangs over thousands of students who were forced to return from Ukraine earlier this year following the Ukraine-Russia war. Continuation of the war, coupled with the delay in the government’s decision on rehabilitation, has cast a shadow over their education.

Since being evacuated to the safety of their homes, most students, barring those who studied in Ukrainian universities in the eastern parts, are attending online classes.

Inchara Raj, a resident of Kanakapura and the 1 ^st year medical student of Bukovinian State Medical University at Chernivtsi, said, “Our university is conducting online classes since the second week of March, and also conducted online exam. I have written bio-chemistry exam through in-camera online mode. I attended one month practical classes in JSS Medical college, Mysuru. But the uncertainty over the government’s decision is causing a lot of worry. We are waiting for the government’s decision.”

But those students belonging to areas in the war zone are worse affected. A student from Kharkiv National Medical University, which is in war zone of Ukraine, and partially destroyed, said, “I don’t have any hope for our university. Most of our university has been destroyed. University officials said they will shift us to other medical universities in Ukraine. But I am really scared.”

Committee yet to meet

In April, the Karnataka government formed a committee headed by the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS) Vice-Chancellor to make necessary rehabilitation arrangements for the Ukraine returnees. However, the committee has not met even once.

RGUHS V-C M.K. Ramesh told The Hindu, “The Ukraine issue comes under the Central government. So, we are waiting for the Central government guidelines. We will take any decision based on that.”

On the other hand, BLDE deemed-to-be University, Vijayapura, has offered theory and practical classes for the Ukraine students on a temporary basis, while JSS Medical college, Mysuru, has offered one-month practical classes for those students.

The ray of hope now is the Supreme Court of India, which directed the National Medical Council in May to take appropriate action about the future education of the Ukraine-returned students within two months.

Ayesha Huda, the mother of a Ukraine returned student from Bengaluru, said, “Parents of Ukraine returned students have already given a memorandum to the government for accommodation of these students. Students, especially in the higher classes, are in a bad state. As a parent, I request the Union and State governments to accommodate our children here with affordable fees. We don’t want to send them anywhere outside the country.”