Twenty-five Indian students who completed their MD (General Medicine) from Bukhara State Medical Institute (BSMI), Uzbekistan, are facing a major career crisis after the university allegedly withheld their degrees despite full fee payment and successful completion of final examinations.
The students — many of whom had earlier fled the Ukraine war to continue their medical education in Uzbekistan — allege that BSMI is “illegally and unethically” linking the issuance of their degrees to the unpaid dues of two unrelated students. This, they claim, is happening despite the affected students submitting personal guarantee letters, an action legal experts describe as “unprecedented and unjustifiable.”
‘Paid Higher Fees, Got Lower Standards’:
According to the students, BSMI charged them nearly USD 1,000 more annually compared to other Uzbek medical universities. Yet, they reportedly faced substandard hostels, weak academic delivery, minimal clinical exposure, and an “apathetic administration.”
“When we tried to raise these issues, we were threatened with expulsion,” said one student. Today, despite having formally graduated, they remain trapped without degrees — unable to proceed with mandatory NMC procedures in India.
Many students are now spending additional time and money on medical coaching back home to make up for academic gaps they experienced abroad, leading to severe stress, emotional trauma, and financial strain on families.
Unchecked Admissions Despite Embassy Warnings
Sources say the NMC allows only about 250 admissions per year in reputed medical colleges to ensure quality but BSMI has admitted over 1,000 new students this year, allegedly prioritizing revenue over quality, even as existing students continue to suffer. Overcrowded hostels, congested classrooms, and insufficient clinical postings have become the norm.
Similar concerns have been reported at Samarkand State Medical University (SSMU), which was previously cautioned for excessive recruitment. Another Uzbek university has already been blacklisted by India’s National Medical Commission (NMC) for regulatory violations, prompting fears that BSMI and SSMU could face the same fate.
Despite multiple advisories from the Indian Embassy asking Uzbek institutions to follow NMC norms and regulate admissions, both BSMI and SSMU reportedly continue aggressive recruitment drives, raising concerns about systemic neglect.
NMC Deadline Approaching; Appeal Filed:
With the NMC deadline nearing this year, the 25 graduates fear they may lose an entire academic and professional year if their degrees are not issued immediately. Their appeal has been formally accepted by the Uzbekistan Ministry of Justice, while the Indian Embassy and the student’s mother organization are said to be intervening to resolve the matter.
Parents and students have appealed to the Government of India and the NMC to step in urgently. “We survived the Ukraine war; now our careers are in danger at BSMI. We only want justice,” said a student.
National Security Concerns Raised:
In a more serious turn, parents have also raised national-security flags, alleging that recruitment and backend operations at BSMI and SSMU are being handled by foreign intermediaries — mainly nationals of a conflict country to India — thereby risking exposure of sensitive Indian student data. They have sought an independent investigation into the matter.
As the crisis deepens, the future of the 25 young doctors hangs precariously in the balance, with their medical careers — and years of effort — resting on the immediate intervention of Indian and Uzbek authorities.