05-07-2025
‘Mass expulsions in Russian University killed our medical dreams': Indian students allege ‘financial gain' by university
Around 200 Indian students who went to Russia's Bashkir State Medical University to study medicine are now returning to India with their dreams shattered and their options limited. Mass expulsions by the university, citing issues like attendance and subject backlogs, are driven by 'financial greed', students and parents alleged.
A university notice, written in Russian on June 9, states that foreign students will not be allowed to appear for exams due to 'failure to fulfil their obligations to conscientiously master the educational program and complete the curriculum'. It lists 234 names across five-years of the medical course, a majority of which are Indian students.
The All Foreign Medical Graduates' Association (AFA) said on X that the college is 'deliberately expelling' Indian students, especially those in their second and third years, knowing that as per National Medical Commission (NMC) guidelines, they cannot transfer to other universities.
A third-year student originally from Maharashtra who is taking a flight to India on Saturday (July 5, 2025) night, said on the condition of anonymity, 'I am now returning to India because I do not have any other option. The university admitted around 1000 students, over their capacity, and are now expelling us over minor issues.'
The student added, 'We are now asked to take admission from the first year. We have already spent lakhs of rupees and cannot give up now. We will be forced to spend lakhs of rupees again and waste three years.'
The NMC mandates that Indian students complete their entire medical education, training, and internship in the same foreign institution where they started. The student said that the university 'targets Indians to exploits this'.
Expulsion notices
The student said that his grounds for attendance was 'low attendance', even after informing the university that he was returning to India due to a family emergency.
Another student said, 'Despite having genuine reasons for missing a few lectures — visa processes, medical appointments — I made sure to clear my absences before exams.' The student said that his 'medical dreams have been shattered'.
The Hindu reached out to the Dean and International students office but did not receive a response. Messages to an unofficial head for Indian students, Ambika, did not warrant a response either.
One such expulsion notice read that he did not clear 'academic debt in the discipline 'Biochemistry''. It went on to stipulate the process for acquiring an Exit Visa. The student from Maharashtra said, 'I was forced to sign a 'self-expulsion' notice and threatened that I will not even have the option of returning if I did not.'
'Spent lakhs of rupees'
A parent, who did not wish to be identified, said, 'After the Ukraine-Russia war, consultants began recommending Russian Universities. We sent our children with high hopes, taking loans. Many are now returning, quitting on their dreams to become doctors. It is traumatic and unfair.' The parent said that the family has already spent ₹25 lakh, and if their daughter were to be re-admitted, this would cost them another ₹15 lakh.
Students said that the annual expenses amount to around ₹4 lakh, which is still less than private universities in India, and hence, it becomes a top choice for those who did not get into public universities. Multiple students that The Hindu spoke to said that consultants and agents highly recommended the university.
The students have reached out to the Indian embassy and have written multiple emails to the Indian Government, but have not received any responses. A mail to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare stated that universities admit far more students than they can accommodate and later, expel them under various pretexts. It added that the universities, promising to teach in English, switch to Russian after the Third year, complicating things further for foreign students.
The Indian embassy in Russia had conducted a visit to the university in June and shared photos with students on their official website. Students, however, alleged that they were threatened with expulsion even in front of officials. Officials were contacted but did not respond until the time of printing.
