Bengal’s Ukraine-returned medical students start attending classes in the state
Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had promised to help the medical students from Bengal who had been forced to come back from Ukraine, leaving their studies, due to the war there. On June 1, Wednesday, they started attending classes at government medical colleges in Kolkata, listening to lectures for the first time in three months.
They were visibly happy. Speaking to a media outlet, a final-year student said it is a move in the right direction. Others spoken to too said that it was a relief. They also said hopefully the Union government would recognise these classes.
As of now, it has not. The Bengal government is at loggerheads with the Centre over this issue. The state chief minister had asked it to consider the option of allowing all Ukraine-returned medical students across the country to complete their medical studies here.
In Bengal, all 394 medical students who have come back from Ukraine have been given a chance to resume their studies in government medical colleges. The current arrangement is for one month, after which the situation would be reviewed. As of now, they cannot perform practical sessions themselves but can attend practicals as observers, as well as attend classes and take notes.
