Chief minister Mamata Banerjee today wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his ‘urgent intervention’ so that the National Medical Commission allows the second to sixth-year medical students, who have returned recently from war-torn Ukraine leaving their courses midway, to complete their studies in the private medical colleges in West Bengal.

“The West Bengal government is highly sensitive to their problems and we have ensured that all students belonging to our state return back safely to their homes. They are passing through severe stress and anxiety due to their uncertain future. All these students have invested considerable financial resources as well as time in pursuance of their dreams but they are now left in the lurch,” Miss Banerjee wrote.

In her three-page letter Miss Banerjee suggested that these students be allowed to get admission at an equivalent level in the private medical colleges, which in turn be allowed to increase the equivalent number of seats for accommodating these students. She further wrote that the private medical colleges have agreed to accommodate these students on state quota and the government has decided to extend financial assistance to these students to meet the expenses towards their course fee.

As per the commission mandate, only those students who qualify the National Entrance Eligibility Test (NEETUG) are eligible to get admission into the medical colleges but many of the students who have returned from Ukraine do not meet this criterion. “It is requested that relevant guidelines may be relaxed as a very special case to accommodate these students,” she wrote.

The chief minister today interacted with around 391 such students at Kshudiram Anusheelan Kendra and assured them that if the council turned down her request then she would go to Delhi with the students.

“If a first-year student wants to study in West Bengal then we can accommodate him/her in a medical college. In such a case, the student would not lose a year because in Ukraine medical courses are for six years but in India it is for five years. If a student wants to continue the course in Ukraine then our government will help him/her to pursue online classes and offline practical classes at private and state-run medical colleges,” said Miss Banerjee.

Mamata Banerjee said that her government would allow the Ukraine-return medical interns to work at the state-run medical colleges and offer them stipends. There are 11 such interns. Miss Banerjee added, “Onethird of the medical seats are reserved under state quota where students can study at government rates. If the NMC gives permission then students can study here. They will not have to pay fees. The government will pay half the amount while the remaining will be paid by the private colleges under corporate social responsibility.”

She added that the existing number of seats will not be impacted. “We would make room for engineering students so that they can complete their courses in West Bengal colleges. We would also see that they do not have to pay a higher fee and cap it,” Miss Banerjee said. This entire process is likely to take around three months, she added.