90% Indians studying MBBS abroad fail to clear qualifiers in India: Pralhad Joshi's comment draws criticism

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi landed in a soup after he said that 90 per cent of students who go to study medicine abroad do not clear qualifying exams in India. However, he told The Times of India that it was not the “right time to debate why students are moving out to study medicine”.

His comments come as India rushes to evacuate its citizens from war-torn Ukraine, which has been facing increased shelling by Russia.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh condemned the "shockingly insensitive and atrocious statement" by the Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister.

Also Read — Why Indian medical students pick Ukraine for studies

"NaMo’s only mantra is NATO—No Action Tamasha Only!" he tweeted.

"I am horrified that certain ministers in the Union government knowing well that our children are in a life threatening situation are making such callous, insensitive and irresponsible remarks," NCP's Supriya Sule said.

"A student is killed in Ukraine during the #UkraineRussiaWar but the ministers of the GOI are still busy in insulting the students in every cheap way!" Rajya Sabha MP Ripu Bora said.

On Tuesday, an Indian national, a 21-year-old boy from Haveri in Karnataka was killed in shelling in Kharkiv as Russian troops laid seige to more cities.

Earlier, even Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that Indian students were going to small countries for medical education despite the language barrier, urging the private sector to make a big presence in the field. "Our children today are going to small countries for studies, especially in medical education. Language is a problem there. They are still going... ," he said in an apparent reference to Ukraine without any mention of the crisis.

India can benefit a lot from its demographic dividend in this field, he said.

Several Indians go to Ukraine to study medicine due to the affordable fee structure compared to private medical colleges in India and hassle-free admission without tough competitive exams.

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