New Delhi: The Centre informed the Supreme Court on Friday that it is working on the court's recommendations to assist medical students who have returned to India from Ukraine due to the conflict with Russia. On September 16, the Supreme Court suggested that the Centre assist these medical students by creating a web portal with information about foreign universities where they could complete their courses under the government's academic mobility programme.
The counsel appearing for the Centre told the top court on Friday that they have written to the secretaries of the ministries of external affairs as well as health on the issue.
"In terms of the last order, we have written to the secretaries of MEA (ministry of external affairs) as well as Health. Our instruction is that they are on it," the counsel told a bench of Justices Hemant Gupta and Sudhanshu Dhulia.
The counsel further said that in the last hearing, the supreme court had indicated that a website can be made to put information for clarity.
"We are on it," the lawyer said, adding, "It is taken up with utmost priority."The matter has been scheduled for hearing on October 11 by the Supreme Court. When one of the advocates suggested that final-year medical students be allowed to take online classes, the bench remarked, "We are not saying anything. We will pass a comprehensive order". To begin, one of the advocates representing some of the students indicated that several states had written to the Centre about the issue. Arguing that approximately 13,000 medical students are affected, the lawyer suggested that the Centre and the National Medical Commission consult with these states.
Recommendations by SC
On September 16, the Supreme Court stated that there should be a transparent system in place, and that the web portal should include complete details about the fees and the number of seats available in alternative foreign universities where these students could complete their courses. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, had requested more time to obtain instructions from the government on the bench's recommendations.
The Supreme Court was hearing a batch of petitions filed by undergraduate medical students in their respective foreign medical colleges/universities from the first to fourth year.
These students are primarily interested in transferring to medical schools in India during their respective semesters. In its affidavit filed last week in the matter, the Centre stated that they (students) cannot be accommodated in medical colleges in India due to a lack of legal provisions, and that no permission has been granted by the National Medical Commission (NMC) to transfer or accommodate any foreign medical students in any Indian medical institute/university.
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