Govt Committed to Ensuring Quality Education for Indian Students in Uzbekistan: MEA
MEA says it is engaging with Uzbek authorities to ensure Indian students receive quality medical education, meet NMC requirements and remain protected from exploitation.
NEW DELHI, Nov 3: The government is working to ensure that Indian students pursuing higher education in Uzbekistan receive quality education and that those enrolled in medical courses meet the requirements prescribed by India’s National Medical Commission (NMC), the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Tuesday.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India remains in regular contact with Uzbekistan over issues concerning Indian students. He made the remarks during the ministry’s bi-weekly media briefing while responding to questions about reports of a significant decline in the number of Indian students opting for medical studies in the Central Asian country.
“We continue to engage with the Uzbek side as far as issues about Indian students are concerned,” Jaiswal said.
He referred to advisories issued by the Indian Embassy in Tashkent and the NMC, which outline important guidelines for students planning to pursue higher education abroad, including in Uzbekistan.
In an advisory dated June 25, the Indian Embassy urged students intending to study medicine in Uzbekistan to exercise caution while selecting educational institutions and recruitment agencies. It recommended engaging only education consultants whose businesses are registered in India.
The advisory also warned that some recently established institutions, particularly private universities, might not have adequate infrastructure, laboratory facilities or English-speaking faculty. Such shortcomings could prevent them from meeting the requirements under the NMC’s Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate (FMGL) Regulations, 2021.
Students were also advised to travel to Uzbekistan on student visas rather than e-visas. The Embassy said it had come across cases of Indian students entering the country on e-visas and urged those facing difficulties to approach its Consular Officer for assistance.
Reiterating the government’s position, Jaiswal said the priority was to ensure that Indian students pursuing medical and other courses in Uzbekistan receive education that meets the required standards.
He stressed that medical education obtained overseas should comply with the NMC’s prescribed norms, enabling students to meet the applicable requirements in India.
The spokesperson also highlighted the need to protect students from fraudulent practices and exploitation by unscrupulous individuals and agencies operating in both India and Uzbekistan.
He urged prospective students and their families to carefully examine the advisories issued by the Indian Embassy and the NMC before making decisions about studying abroad.
