The state government has decided to allow medical students who had to return from Ukraine following the Russian invasion to pursue internships and attend practical classes in West Bengal, chief minister Mamata Banerjee said on Thursday.
She said her government had taken the decision despite the fact that the National Medical Commission had “not responded” to Bengal’s request for permission to accommodate the students in medical colleges here.
The six students from Bengal who were pursuing engineering courses in Ukraine have been offered seats at private engineering colleges in Bengal under the JIS group, the chief minister said.
“We wanted the central government to give us permission through the medical commission so we could take care of their studies, considering that these students have returned from Ukraine because of the war and this has hurt their careers. We waited, maybe for about two months. But the central government has informed us that they won’t do anything,” the chief minister said.
“The central government can behave irresponsibly but the state government cannot. So we have worked certain ways out in consultation with our chief secretary, education secretary, health secretary and other officials.”
Of the 400-odd students from Bengal who were pursuing medical courses in Ukraine, 23 are in the sixth year. The state government, she said, is allowing them to pursue internships in government medical colleges.
“The 135 students who are in the fifth and fourth year will be offered ‘observing seats’ at medical colleges, 15 to 20 in each college,” Mamata said.
A health department official said the “observing seats”, to be offered in government medical colleges, will allow the students to attend practical classes here and online classes being conducted by their institutes in Ukraine.
As for the 172 students in the second and third year, the chief minister said they, too, would be allowed to attend practical classes at government medical colleges in Bengal. The health department official said these 172 students, like the ones who would be offered “observing seats”, could attend online classes held by their colleges in Ukraine.
“The 69 first-year students who have qualified NEET have been allowed to appear for counselling at our private medical colleges for admission in management quota seats. Colleges have been requested to offer concessions in fees,” Mamata said.
The remaining nine first-year students, who did not qualify NEET, will attend practical classes “at Bengal medical colleges and online classes there (Ukraine),” she said.
Three students from the state were pursuing dental courses in Ukraine. One of them has completed studies and will be allowed to do an internship at the government dental college here, Mamata said. The other two will be offered “observing seats”.