Here's why Ukraine is a preferred choice among Indian students for medical studies

Indian students opt for countries like Ukraine to pursue medical studies. Here are the reasons why

Twenty-three-year old Anubhav Barnwal, belongs to Katihar in Bihar. He was studying MBBS in V N Karazin Kharkiv National University in Kharkiv, Ukraine, a place on the eastern side of Ukraine. He is currently stranded there because students are finding it difficult to move out as Russian and Ukrainian troops are involved in an intense battle. Many have had to take shelter in bunkers readied by the Ukrainian government.

But studying MBBS in Ukraine was not his first priority. “After my brother finished his 12th, he tried for MBBS in India. He tried 2-3 times to give NEET, but he couldn’t secure a seat in a government medical college,” said elder brother Ankit, awaiting the news of his brothers’ safety from Kharkiv.

“Admission to any private college is expensive in India, compared with options in Ukraine or Russia, where a 5 and a half year investment of Rs 30 lakh is enough to complete MBBS studies,” he said.

Of course, once these students arrive in India for employment opportunities, they have to pass an entrance exam in India to qualify to be a doctor.

People have been asking why many students did not come back to India even after the initial advisories were given by the Indian government.

“When the initial advisories were issued, flights started becoming expensive. My brother did try to book a flight for February 22 and then on February 24, but did not get affordable tickets. He finally booked one for Feb 26, spending Rs 50,000 but the war had begun by then,” explained Ankit, adding, “The universities also did not allow students to resume online classes, classes were being taken offline, and these count as attendance in the final term exams too,” he said.

At least 15,000 Indian students are stuck at different border points of western and eastern Ukraine amidst a raging war between Russian and Ukrainian forces. The Indian government is trying in one of its most active missions to rescue many Indian students who are stranded scattered across the now war-torn Ukraine.