Russian Universities Make Elaborate Plans Not to Let Pandemic Disrupt the Studies of Their Indian Students

(L-R)Mr. Aleksey S. Sozinov, Rector, Kazan State Medical University, Kazan, Russia; & Ms. Elena Koshpaeva - Dean, Kazan State Medical University, Kazan, Russia.

Hyderabad: To stay on top of COVID-19 preparedness, Russia’s engineering and medical colleges have announced a slew of measures they are planning to take towards enhancing the safety of Indian students and the continuity of their studies even when the situation of the pandemic and travel restrictions may intensify in the future.

Participating in a Press Meet organized today by Russian Centre of Science and Culture, in association with Study Abroad Educational Consultants, the authorized Indian representative for Russian Universities, the representatives of leading Russian universities said that they had initiated talks with leading Indian medical colleges and hospitals including Dr. M.G.R. Medical University for clinical training of their students in India, exchange of faculty and students, and joint research work. The Indian students shall also be required to get fully vaccinationated when they travel to Russia, once the curbs are lifted. The direct classes will be conducted adhering to internationally accepted COVID-19 guidelines.

The officials of the universities have also announced that India Virtual Educational Fair 2021 will be held on August 01, 2021 to bring awareness on the quality of engineering and medical programs offered by the Russian institutions. A highly sophisticated digital platform (www.rusedufair.com) is made available for the students to directly interact with the authorities of the institutions via one-to-one chat, receive information, and to register online for admission.

Mr. Oleg N. Avdeev, Consul General of The Russian Federation In South India, Mr. Vladimir V. Shkarin, Rector, Volgograd State Medical University, Volgograd, Russia, Mr. Aleksey S. Sozinov, Rector, Kazan State Medical University, Kazan, Russia, Ms. Victoria V. Panova, Vice President for International Relations Far Eastern Federal University, Vladivostok, Russia, and Mr. Gennadii A. Rogalev, Director of The Russian Centre Of Science and Culture, and Mr. Ravichandran C, MD, Study Abroad Educational Consultants were among those who took part in the press meet.

The universities have already started admitting Indian students for the UG and PG programs in medicine and engineering for 2021 academic year. As long as the travel restrictions are in force, the universities would be conducting online classes for the students in India.

Russian Medical Universities offer an M.D. degree, which is equivalent to M.B.B.S in India. The duration of the UG medical program is six years in English medium. There are no pre-qualifying exams like CET and IELTS for admissions to universities in Russia. Though NEET eligibility is mandatory for the Indian students to pursue a medical course within or outside the country, considering the uncertainty around NEET 2021 exam, the students will not be asked to produce the NEET certificate at the time of enrollment. It is enough if they can submit the mark sheet after the NEET results.

Talking about the Russian higher education, Mr. Oleg N. Avdeev, Consul General of The Russian Federation In South India, said that the standard of higher education in Russia is considered to be one of the most advanced and sophisticated in the world. Yet, the cost is comparatively cheaper because it is highly subsidized by the Government of the Russian Federation. The seats for the Indian students to study English medium, has been increased from 3000 to 5000 during the last academic year. Currently, there are about 15,000 Indian students studying at medical, and various other institutions in Russia.

In his comments Mr. Ravichandran C, MD, Study Abroad Educational Consultants, said that Russian medical education is a boon for the Indian students, who aspire to get prestigious, globally-recognized and affordable medical education. There are over 100 government medical universities in Russia, which are recognised by the National Medical Commission (formerly Medical Council of India) and listed in the Directory of Medical schools of WHO. As almost all the medical students return to their motherland to practise medicine, it increases the pool of talented doctors in India, where the doctors to population ratio is at 1:1800, as against the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) minimum recommended ratio of 1:1000.

To join the undergraduate/postgraduate programs, students should have a minimum of 50% marks in the relevant core subjects/degrees, which in the case of SC/ST and OBC students, is 40%. Tamil medium students are also eligible to apply. Depending upon the university, place of study and course the fee structure differs from US$ 2500 to US$ 4000 per year in the case of Russian Medium instruction. And in the case of instruction in English Medium fee shall be US$ 3500 to US$ 6000 per year. The universities offer scholarship seats for the Indian students.

Study Abroad in association with the Russian Center of Science and Culture is also organizing a series of webinars throughout the month of August for the students to interact with the university officials and obtain first-hand information about admission procedures and other required details. For details about the programs offered by universities in medicine and engineering, and about the fair, students can call: 9282221221 or visit www.rusedufair.com.

The virtual educational fair, to be held on August 1, 2021 at www.rusedufair.com will have the participation of senior officials from Volgograd State Medical University, Volgograd; National Research Nuclear University MEPhI, Moscow; Far Eastern Federal University, Vladivostok; Kazan State Medical University, Kazan; Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, Kursk State Medical University, Kursk; Stavropol State Medical University, Stavropol; I.M Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (M1), Moscow; and Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University (M2), Moscow.