SC gives six weeks to Centre to decide fate of Ukraine-returned medical students

The central government on Wednesday informed the Supreme Court that it has constituted a committee of experts to find a solution for the students who could not complete their medical training in foreign countries like China and Ukraine due to the ongoing war and the Covid-19 pandemic.

A bench of Justices BR Gavai and Vikram Nath adjourned the matter for six weeks after being informed that the committee had met once but needed more time to take a decision. The Centre also needs time to consultss with the states, Additional Solicitor General of India Aishwarya Bhati submitted before the bench.

The court also reiterated that it cannot go on compromising with medical education and would go as per the



committee’s recommendations. On July 28, the National Medical Commission (NMC) had notified a scheme allowing students who were in the last year of their undergraduate medical course and those who were granted certificate of completion of course/degree before June 30, 2022 to take the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination.

Upon qualifying the FMG examination, the medical graduates were required to undergo Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship for two years. Since the scheme was applicable to students in their last year and the batch of pleas were filed by students in their penultimate year, the SC while expressing concerns with regards to students’ career on December 9 had asked the Centre and NMC to constitute a committee.