Students Who Fled War-Hit Ukraine Stare At Uncertain Academic Future

While the students have escaped the violent conflict in Ukraine and safely returned home, their predicament is not over yet. As the Russia-Ukraine war has disrupted their academic activities, they are now staring at the uncertain future as they cannot enroll in the Indian colleges as their certificates are with their respective universities in the war-hit country. 

Even as the overseas education consultants are of the opinion that the Ukrainian universities might opt for online classes for students once the situation comes under control, Polla Vishnu Vardhan Rao, a third-year medical student of Vinnytsia National Pirogov Medical University in Ukraine, who returned home earlier this week is exploring educational options in India. “Given the situation, I don’t think I can return to the university. But I will try to get my certificates. For each semester, I paid Rs 1.85 lakh as fee. Now, I am planning to opt for a BSc Agriculture course in the State,” he said. 

While other students are in wait and watch mode. Nisha Rani, who is a student of the same university as Vishnu Vardhan Rao opines, “I am willing to go back to my university and complete the course. However, my parents have to allow me,”

According to Dr Raj of NEO MBBS, a Hyderabad-based overseas education consultancy, “ During the Covid pandemic, classroom teaching shifted to online classes. So, the same online classes will be followed by the universities in Ukraine.” He also said the European Credit Transfer System could be helpful for universities and students who wish to transfer to a different university within Ukraine and other universities in the European Union.