The Government on Monday assured that it would help Indian students brought back to the country from the war-torn East European Ukraine under “Operation Ganga” to complete their education.
Union Minister for Education Dharmendra Pradhan said in the Lok Sabha that Operation Ganga, carried out under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to evacuate Indian students from Ukraine, is proof of the “collective wisdom of 130 crore Indians”.
He also said the Opposition party should have congratulated the Modi Government for its effort in evacuating the Indian nationals. “I was expecting that from his party (Congress) and the House, the Prime Minister will be congratulated for Operation Ganga...,” he told the Lok Sabha during Question Hour.
“When we have brought them, you remain assured that Government will ponder over making arrangements, whatsoever is required, to enable them to become doctors in future,” the Minister said.
“At present, it is time for getting them out of the shock. We are all engaged in that,” the Minister said
Earlier, DMK leader TR Baalu while congratulating the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister S Jaishankar for the safe evacuation of students from Tamil Nadu also asked in the House whether “they could be admitted in Russia?” to which some MPs reacted saying “why not in India?”.
Congress member Gaurav Gogoi wanted to know if the Government was considering working out “any policy or holding talks” with universities in countries neighbouring Ukraine to enable Indian students to complete their studies.
“Any policy or holding talks” with universities in countries neighbouring Ukraine to enable Indian students to complete their studies, he asked.
In the Rajya Sabha, cutting across party lines, several MPs expressed concern over the plight of Indian medical students evacuated recently from Ukraine and urged the Government to take effective measures to help them complete their courses here.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will give a detailed account on Tuesday in the Upper House on the situation in Ukraine and efforts made by the Indian Government to bring out more than 18,000 Indian citizens including students since February 22 as part of Operation Ganga.
Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said a large number of Indian students in Ukraine needed to be evacuated in the current situation.
“This was a very challenging task. The Government of India rose to the occasion by evacuating Indian students as well as some students of other nationalities. These efforts are praiseworthy,” he said.
Naidu also informed members that members can seek clarifications after Jaishankar makes a statement.
Raising the issue during the Zero Hour on the first day of the second half of the Budget session, Kanakamedala Ravindra Kumar (TDP) noted that many students from India were pursuing medical education in Ukraine.
He said though safety and security of the students was ensured, their future is at stake and urged the Government to take necessary steps to safeguard their future.
KC Venugopal (Congress) said students who have returned from Ukraine are in a very difficult situation and their families are also concerned about their future. Noting that the education of these students has come to the standstill, he said the Government needs to clarify what steps it will take.
Amar Patnaik (BJD) suggested that seats in private and Government medical colleges should be increased by two to five per cent so that education of the students who returned from Ukraine is not affected.
Santanu Sen (TMC) said while the Government has taken the responsibility to complete the internship of the students after they pass the eligibility test, some special steps are required to accommodate students who were in the first, second, and third years of their studies, in India.
