Why do thousands of Indian students choose Iran to study medicine?

“We are just here to study. And now we are a part of a war between two countries we don’t even belong to.”

As the skies in Tehran turn orange and trails of smoke emerge as Israel continues to fire missiles as part of Operation Rising Lion , Indian students, mostly studying medicine, are now cowering in fear and praying that India can arrange for their evacuation from the war-torn country.

Notably, this isn’t the first time that India is making plans to evacuate Indian students studying medicine abroad. In 2022, India safely evacuated thousands of Indians studying MBBS in Ukraine amid the war with Russia.

This raises the question: Why do many Indians travel abroad to pursue medicine?

Indian students trapped in Iran

As Israel launched deadly attacks on Iran beginning last Friday, thousands of Indian students, who have gone there to realise their medical dreams, are growing anxious and concerned about being caught in the crossfire. As Fatima Khakhi, a third-year MBBS student at Islamic Azad University of Medical Sciences in Tehran, was quoted telling the Economic Times, “We are living in fear, with sleepless nights and growing anxiety. Our families back home are equally distressed.”

According to data available, around 1,500 students from India are currently pursuing their medical degrees in Iran, namely from institutes like Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University of Medical Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, and Kerman University of Medical Sciences.

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Speaking of the ongoing tensions, one Indian student at the Tehran University of Medical Sciences told Indian Express, “I don’t even know exactly what’s happening. But we’ve been awake for four nights now. Today, they bombed a place near our university. It was really bad.”

Another one studying at Shahid Beheshti University also echoed similar fears. “It’s like living in a war movie, but we’re in it. We panicked for a day because we heard that Iran’s defence system was down.”

Faizan Nabi, a first-year MBBS student at Kerman University of Medical Sciences, also expressed his anxiety as hostilities keep rising between the two countries. “I’ve been getting 10 calls a day from my parents. The internet is so slow that I can’t even send a WhatsApp message quickly. We came here to become doctors. Now we’re just trying to stay alive.”

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Now, these students and their families are urging the Centre to evacuate them from Iran just as they did during Operation Ganga when students were rescued from Ukraine after the Russian invasion. Responding to this, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement that in “some cases, students are being relocated with the embassy’s facilitation to safer places within Iran”. It added in its statement, “Other feasible options are also under examination.”

On Monday (June 16), some news reports stated that the Indian Embassy in Iran sent communications to the Arak University of Medical Sciences and Shiraz University of Medical Sciences asking them to “facilitate the evacuation” of Indian students. “We have made arrangements for their evacuation. They may be permitted to leave the university, as being facilitated by the Embassy of India, Tehran. The Embassy of India, Tehran, takes responsibility for this planned movement and security of Indian students,” it said.

However, it is not yet clear if such communications were sent to other universities as well.

Choosing Iran for their MBBS dreams

But why is it that so many aspiring doctors in India choose to pursue their education in Iran?

According to data made available by the Ministry of External Affairs, Indian students, especially those from Jammu and Kashmir, opt for Iran to study medicine. According to the MEA’s estimated data of Indian students studying abroad, in 2022, about 2,050 students were enrolled in Iran, mostly for medical studies, at institutions like the Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University and Islamic Azad University.

According to India’s All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi approximately 1,595 Indian students, including 140 medical students at Tehran University, are currently stuck in Iran.

Experts note that these students choose Iran for their medical education owing to a number of reasons. First and foremost is the intense competition for limited medical seats within India. In India, nearly 23 lakh students appeared for the NEET-UG exam. Consider this number to the 1.1 lakh MBBS seats across India. This drives many aspirants to look for better opportunities elsewhere in the world.

Moreover, there are only 55,000 seats in government medical colleges, where tuition remains within reach for the average household. The fees for the remaining seats in private institutions are exorbitant, which most families can’t afford.

Another reason why many Indians choose Iran over other countries is the affordability of courses there. Tuition fees at universities like Tehran University of Medical Sciences and Isfahan University of Medical Sciences are significantly lower compared to those in Europe or the United States. Living expenses in Iran are also affordable, which is especially beneficial for students from middle-income families.

In fact, some educational experts note that several Indians, who initially chose Bangladesh for their MBBS degree, are now opting for Iran owing to the cost of living and the programme itself. Aadil Shaikh, managing director of Education Zone, was quoted as telling the Economic Times, “Tuition and living expenses, factoring in scholarships, can cost as little as Rs 14-15 lakh for a five-year MBBS course, compared to Rs 40 lakh in Bangladesh.” The fact that Iran offers many scholarships also helps lure Indian students to the country.

Besides costs and accessibility, Iranian medical universities are attracting Indian students with modern infrastructure, integrated curricula, and early clinical exposure. Moreover, medical universities in Iran are recognised by the National Medical Commission (NMC) of India, ensuring that Indian students who graduate from these institutions are eligible to practice medicine in India after clearing the FMGE (NEXT) exam. Additionally, many Iranian universities are also listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools (WDOMS), further bolstering their international recognition.

Iran not the only option for Indian doctors to-be

Notably, Iran isn’t the only choice for Indian students. Ukraine is another popular destination for Indians — in 2022, nearly 20,000 students were enrolled at some 30-odd Ukrainian universities offering courses in medicine.

In fact, educationists note that Ukraine has been a preferred destination for Indians to study medicine, dentistry, and nursing for over three decades due to the availability of cheap courses and reasonably good education. The prices are a big lure. For instance, for a six-year MBBS course, Indians pay around $35,000 in Ukraine while in India, the same course would cost them at least four times that amount.

In addition to the low fees, the absence of gruelling medical entrance exams makes it a viable option. Also, experts note that the medical degrees earned in Ukraine are recognised across the world, including by the World Health Organisation, European Council, and other global bodies. Further, there are chances of permanent residence and settlement in Europe after completing your studies in Ukraine.

With inputs from agencies