‘Go back’: Indian students encounter hostility in Ukraine amid prolonged war

The plight of Indian students who were compelled to return to conflict-ridden Ukraine to pursue their medical studies shows no signs of easing.

This were reported in Times of India.

These students are encountering growing hostility from certain segments of the local population, who perceive India as aligning with Russia in the ongoing war. This antagonism has escalated particularly following Ukraine’s recent offensive actions in June.

“The locals are demanding their departure from the country. The situation has deteriorated significantly over the past eight weeks”, said one student to TOI.

Despite their appeals, students are finding their pleas to their state governments and the central authorities for transfers to universities in other countries falling on deaf ears.

In 2022, approximately 18,000 students were evacuated from Ukraine shortly after Russia’s invasion. They harbored hopes of resuming their education in Indian institutions or foreign universities. However, this aspiration remained unfulfilled. Despite the risks involved, around 3,400 students have returned to Ukraine since January 2023 to complete their degrees.

A student from Madhya Pradesh revealed, “Due to the guidelines set forth by the National Medical Council (NMC), those studying abroad after December 2021 are barred from transferring to other universities. This restriction compelled me, along with many others, to return here.” The protracted nature of the war has led to a growing shift in public sentiment against Indian students. According to another student, “Local residents in Ukraine often say, ‘You Indians are strong allies of Russia’. Consequently, they’re urging us to vacate their nation.”