The minister also revealed that according to the data that was made accessible, around 14000 students had returned from China to India during the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to V Muraleedharan, Minister of State in the Ministry of External Affairs, around 10,000 Indian students are currently pursuing higher education in China. He gave this information to the Rajya Sabha on Thursday. Despite Missions and Posts' persistent attempts, he continued, students do not register themselves with Indian Missions, so particular information regarding Indian students is not available.
Muraleedharan was responding to Tiruchi Siva's query on whether or not the Indian government has kept a database of Indian students enrolled in foreign universities, as well as the total number of students enrolled in medical programs in China.
The minister also revealed that according to the data that was made accessible, around to 14000 students had returned from China to India during the Covid-19 pandemic.
"The Ministry, along with the Embassy of India in Beijing, had adopted a multi-pronged strategy to facilitate Indian students returning from China, which included, among other things, emergency evacuation from the worst-affected areas, the establishment of a 24X7 Control Room and special hotlines for students seeking assistance, and coordinating with the government agencies and universities of the People's Republic of China for an early return of these students to complete their remaining coursework and minimize disruptions.
Siva had also questioned the minister on the government's plans for the welfare of Indian students enrolled in overseas institutions of higher learning. Muraleedharan asserted that NMC had given permission to Indian students who were in the final year of their MBBS program and had to leave their foreign medical institute (due to COVID-19, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, etc.) to take the FMGE if they had been given a certificate from the respective institute on or before June 30 attesting to their completion of the course or degree.
After passing the FMG exam, foreign medical graduates are required to complete a two-year Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship (CRMI) to make up for the clinical training they were unable to physically attend during their undergraduate medical education at the foreign institution and to acquaint them with Indian medical practice.
Source - Nearly 10,000 Indian students pursuing higher education in China: Govt
