The State branch of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has, in total contradiction to the statement by its national body, taken a stand that a decision on allowing medical students from Ukraine to complete their studies in India cannot be taken in violation of the current laws and regulations binding medical education in the country.
No hasty decision should be taken in the matter of allowing the Ukraine-returned medical students to continue their education in the country, when there are thousands of students here who were unable to pursue medical education despite clearing NEET, a statement issued by IMA State secretary Joseph Benaven and president Samuel Koshy said here on Wednesday.
The national IMA had created quite a stir across the nation when, in a letter addressed to the Prime Minister, demanded that MBBS students returning from Ukraine be absorbed in Indian medical colleges as a “one-time measure."
The Kerala branch of the IMA pointed out that in the two years of the pandemic, when hundreds of medical students from China had returned home discontinuing their studies, there had been no suggestion from any quarters to let these students join Indian medical schools. The government cannot adopt a different position in the case of the students from Ukraine, it said.
When contacted, Dr. Benaven said the statement of the national IMA was an “emotional and impulsive outburst” which had come as a “rude shock” to everyone within the organisation.
He said the statement by the parent body had been made without consulting anyone else within the leadership and without any thought to the far-reaching consequences that such a move could have.
“All doctors were agitated and upset about the statement by our parent body, which has not given due consideration to the facts on hand or that allowing such a “lateral entry” can upset many equations within the medical education system.. All State IMAs have expressed similar sentiments. We are not locking horns with our parent body on this, but we are clear about our stand and would like our national leaders to reconsider their earlier statement,” Dr. Benaven told The Hindu.
