Ukraine-returned students with a heavy financial burden over repayment of education loans are at a difficult and awkward stage in life. Pursuing further education remains a major worry for thousands of medical students who had to flee Ukraine amid the Russian invasion. Amidst such a dark hour, Congress MLA from Karnataka took up the responsibility to offer tens of students free education.
MB Patil, the former home and water resources minister, is offering free education to over 20 Ukraine-returned medical students at his BLDE Medical college in Vijayapura. The newly-appointed KPCC campaign committee chairman dismissed the idea of taking any fees from the students as they are burdened with debt and their education is in jeopardy. With this, MB Patil certainly shows the way and takes a prominent step towards solving a major crisis.
"It is our duty to the students who had to unfortunately return. They have lost money, friends and are in a state of shock. We ought to secure their future," MB Patil told International Business Times.
Patil further urged the government to provide support to such students by the means of increasing NEET seats as an emergency measure just this year. The former minister vows to provide free education to as many students as possible.
"The number of NEET seats is limited. If the government increases the seats this one time for the Ukraine returned students, as an emergency measure, we will provide free education to as many students as possible, in the region. Likewise, other institutions in all regions I'm sure will follow a similar model," Patil further added.
Ukraine-returned students under financial burden
In the aftermath of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, thousands of Indian students who returned to India are faced with an unprecedented financial burden as repayment of education loan remains a major concern. More than 1,300 students had taken loans to pursue education in Ukraine and the outstanding loan balance against 1,319 students stood at Rs 121.6 crore.
Last month, the Telangana government said that it would bear the educational expenses of over 700 students brought back from war-torn Ukraine to enable them to complete their medical education in India. CM KCR told the Assembly that the state government will write to the Centre to give permission to 740 students who returned from Ukraine to complete their MBBS course.
MB Patil's philanthropy
MB Patil's gesture towards helping Ukraine-returned students on a personal capacity is receiving accolades. But this isn't something new as MB Patil has often found ways to give back to society in a time of crisis.
During the peak COVID wave in April last year, Patil slashed tariff for COVID-19 beds by 70 percent at the BLDE Medical College and Hospital, making it the cheapest available treatment option for the poor and needy. The hospital in Vijayapura has also reserved 500 beds for Covid patients and set the bed tariffs lower than that of government rates.
"Our duty to help the people in distress," he had said at the time.
