Explained: Why thousands of Indian medical students are unable to return to China

In 2020, thousands of Indian medical students returned from China following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Now, two years later, students are unable to return and complete their courses.

On 29 May, with frustration boiling over, some students held a protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar and demanded the intervention of the Indian government. This, two months after holding a similar protest in Kerala.

The scorching heat, the hunger strike, and the efforts of the parents and students. #justice #nmc #fmgchina #pmoIndia #primeminister #healthministry #Prayers #blessings #TakeUsBackToChina #healthministerofindia #ChaloDelhi #JantarMantar pic.twitter.com/vzJ4HhQHeO

— Indian Students in China (@IndianChina) May 30, 2022

Here’s everything you need to know about the matter:

Why are the students stuck?

Blame China’s ‘zero-COVID’ policy.

While most countries have reopened their borders, China continues to pursue its ‘zero-COVID’ policy with a frenzy despite newer variants of coronavirus becoming harder and harder to contain in a lockdown dragnet and the mental and economic toll that lockdowns wreak on the populace.

As per Indian Express, while China has gradually begun welcoming back students from friendly countries such as Pakistan, Thailand, the Solomon Islands, and Sri Lanka, there has been no word on the fate of Indian students and family of Indians working in China.

Mridul, a student speaking to The Quint, said: “…We all have been waiting. It’s been 850 days already. Because of all this, there is uncertainty around and we fear that our degrees might get cancelled or go to waste.”

But why can’t they complete their degrees online?

The National Medical Commission does not recognise medical courses taught online.

“As per the extant rules, National Medical Commission does not recognise or approve medical courses done only by online mode. Students are advised to exercise due diligence in choosing where to pursue medical education,” the commission warned students.

Students are also complaining that the Chinese apps being banned by New Delhi – Chinese universities use homegrown apps like We Chat – makes attending online a real struggle.

“Chinese apps are banned in India. So it’s always a problem to attend online classes. The mental stress that we have to go through just to attend the classes now is a lot,” Gurjot, a third-year student from Himachal Pradesh told The Quint.

So the students want recognition of online training?

Yes.

As Shahroz Khan Sherry, a final-year medical student at the Nantong Medical University of China, told Moneycontrol: “We have been away from the college for over 850 days. Classes and practicals are conducted online but the NMC clearly mentions that offline practicals and clinical training in medical universities are a must. Hence, we want government intervention,” Sherry said.

Falling short of that, students want practical and clinical training to be conducted in their respective states and recognised.

‘Working on solution’

As per Moneycontrol, NMC officials in a meeting with a students’ delegation said they were aware of the situation and were working on a solution.

One suggestion that came up was to transfer to a third country – though this comes with conditions attached.

“Seeking a medical university transfer during the middle of an international MBBS programme  has its own share of problems,” a student attending the meet told Moneycontrol.

The Supreme Court had in May ordered the National Medical Commission to frame within two months a scheme permitting medical students of foreign universities to complete practical training in medical colleges here.

We’ll have to wait and watch what happens.

With inputs from agencies

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