War. There are no winners in wars. Just damage, agony and losses.

The damages of war are always long term. Fighters experience war differently than civilians, although both the parties suffer in times of war. I can’t even go to the lengths to mention the sufferings of women and children in particular. Million lives have been lost to wars in the past few decades. The traumas caused by wars have been still growing and causing extensive emotional and psychological stress amongst civilians. This isn’t acceptable. Not in a scientifically global and progressive world. There is nothing that diplomacy can’t handle that countries have to go to war to resolve. The civilians don’t want war and living in a democratic world we should listen to the people. Fundamentally, nothing can justify the death of people because of wars.

The Russian-Ukraine crisis is an example of orthodox war in an modern era. This no-dialogue war isn’t just costing the lives of Russians and Ukrainians, it is also costing the billion people living outside of those two countries. The financial markets are in shambles, commodity prices are skyrocketing and inflation is rising towards the roof.

As an educationalist it concerns me that 18000 students from India are on the tenterhooks and among which there are 800 students from the state of Odisha alone. It is indeed a traumatic situation and the war between Russia and Ukraine is unlikely to be over so soon, it has doubled the worries of India.Developments there, in between, give a message that the war situation might escalate further with Ukraine perceptibly getting the support of other few nations. Which means the war is not anywhere near the end.

Obviously, this standoff grows to be more agonising for the parents whose children are mostly into medical education which is completely a different course unlike other disciplines, are a worried lot and under huge mental pressure and agony.

Not only the entrance but the medical science hardly allows any flexibility. I had requested Union Government to urgently deal with the next problem of academics after they have brought 18000 students back to India safely.

There are 605 medical colleges in India, of which 325 exist in the Private sector. I requested our Hon’ble Prime Minister and Hon’ble Health Minister to come up with a concrete policy for distributing the students to different medical colleges in India at the level they were continuing so that there is no disruption in their academics. Such a visionary compassionate step will secure the future and career of the students and their parents will be relieved.

On average, each college will have to take into its fold 30 students spread across first to fifth year and internship. It won’t create any extra burden on the infrastructure. It will fall well within the norms and standards of the existing medical colleges without any violation. I also requested to see that the fees charged to students should be at par with Government College. The modalities to facilitate such an arrangement can be decided and worked on by the National Medical Council and Ministry of Health.

In conclusion, I would just like to request all to always follow the path of peace, science and culture. Violence shouldn’t be the part of our society. It should and can be avoided by people in power.