JAMMU: Jammu and Kashmir leaders are deeply concerned over the escalating crisis in Iran-and with good reason. Hundreds of students, the majority of them enrolled in medical programs, are currently awaiting evacuation from Tehran, which is now facing the threat of targeted military action. The anxiety is reminiscent of the recent situation in Bangladesh during the political upheaval and anti-Hindu violence, when scores of J&K students had to be urgently evacuated to safety. Pakistan, less said about the rogue nation the better.
Question arises about the recurring pattern of young students from this part of the country opting to study medicine in countries that, more often than not, are known not for academic excellence, but for their troubling associations with ideological radicalization. Over the years, a growing trend among Indian students opting for MBBS courses in the Islamic Republics of Pakistan, Iran and Bangladesh has raised serious concerns. Is this shift driven solely by the lure of a cheaper medical degree, or is there a deeper, more concerning undertone of “educational jihad”? Regardless of the reason, both possibilities carry significant risks for India-be it the influx of under-qualified doctors or the danger of ideological indoctrination.
The increasing migration of Indian students to these neighboring countries for medical education prompts serious questions-not just about educational quality, but also about national security and ideological influence.
So, why are Indian students looking to Pakistan, Iran and Bangladesh for their MBBS dreams? It’s certainly not due to superior infrastructure or academic excellence. India proudly hosts globally recognized institutions like AIIMS and PGIMER, whose standards remain unmatched across South Asia. The real catalyst lies in the fierce competition and exorbitant fees of private medical colleges in India. Many students, especially from economically weaker backgrounds, or those who do not get admission in any medical college across the country, are left with limited options. While a private MBBS degree in India can cost upwards of Rs 1 crore, a full medical course in Bangladesh is available for around Rs 25 lakh-with living costs substantially lower. Pakistan offers these degrees on lower costs.
For some students from India’s border states or specific religious communities, cultural proximity or family ties with Bangladesh may further ease the decision to study there. As per available estimates, between 7,000 to 8,500 Indian students are currently enrolled in Bangladeshi medical colleges, with around 1,250 joining each year. Degrees from Bangladesh are recognized by India’s National Medical Commission (NMC), which permits graduates to practice in India after passing the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE). In contrast, while education in Pakistan is cheaper, the medical degrees from there are not recognized by the NMC, making it nearly impossible for such graduates to legally practice in India.
However, the affordability comes with its own price. Recent violence against Hindus in Bangladesh underscores the volatile undercurrents that non-Muslim Indian students might face. The political unrest, particularly the mass protests in Dhaka that culminated in the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has left Indian students and families deeply unsettled.
Similar concerns persist in Pakistan, where the presence of extremist elements and terror camps poses a graver risk-not just to safety, but to the ideological purity of education itself. The rogue state’s agenda of nurturing jihadist sentiments under the banner of “Ghazwa-e-Hind” casts a dark shadow over its academic institutions.
If the academic environment in secular and democratic India can become turbulent over issues like the hijab in schools and colleges, how can one expect the campuses of Pakistan and Bangladesh to remain unaffected by religious diktats? In such an environment, how prepared are Indian non-Muslim students-especially girls-to cope with the cultural and religious pressures in institutions steeped in a conservative ethos? The recent history of Afghanistan under Taliban rule is a grim reminder of what happens when radical ideologies take hold of the education system. Bangladesh and Pakistan continue to harbour ideological undercurrents that could influence not only female students’ lifestyles but also affect male students through the possible blending of Madrasa-linked philosophies into mainstream academics.
Despite all these risks and vulnerabilities, the surge in students pursuing medical education in these countries reflects a broader social obsession-where parents push their children into medicine and engineering at any cost. Unfortunately, in chasing these dreams through shortcuts, many ignore the broader consequences: substandard education, cultural alienation, and the potential risk of radicalization. While individuals may bear the cost of this decision financially or psychologically, it is the nation that ultimately pays the price if it ends up with doctors who are either unqualified or ideologically compromised.
