Nearly 2,000 additional seats have been added to accommodate the growing number of students keen on pursuing medical courses in Russian universities, consul general Valerii Khodzhaev of the Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Chennai said on Wednesday.

Russia continues to be the top choice for Indian students seeking medical education abroad, and Russian universities have a long-standing reputation for providing high-quality medical education worldwide, he said at an event here.

With the number of Indian students taking up medical courses rising every year, Russia has increased the number of seats from 8,000 to 10,000 in 2024, he said.

The increase in seats reflects the growing demand for medical education in Russia, the only foreign country currently fully complying with the National Medical Commission of India’s latest norms for overseas medical education.

“Students from India have been admitted to Russian universities for the last 60 years. Russia continues to be the top choice for Indian students seeking medical education abroad. Every year, thousands of Indian students head to Russia to pursue a prestigious, globally recognised, and affordable education,” Khodzhaev said.

“With a comprehensive curriculum, experienced faculty, and advanced facilities, Russian universities offer a robust learning environment for Indian students pursuing medical education,” he added.

Russian House Vice Consul and Director Alexander Dodonov said, “As in the past, the Russian government’s annual 100 per cent scholarship programme will award grants to 200 Indian students this year as well. This will enable them to pursue bachelor’s, master’s, specialist, and postgraduate programmes at Russia’s leading universities free of cost.”

An All-India Russian Education Fair for the academic year 2025–26 is scheduled to be held on May 10 and 11 at the Russian Centre of Science and Culture in the city. Similar events are planned in Coimbatore, Salem, and Tiruchirappalli.

The fair will also feature participation from science, technology, and engineering institutions offering programmes in cutting-edge domains such as biotechnology, artificial intelligence, and data science.

Volgograd State Medical University, Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, Kazan State Medical University, National Research Nuclear University, Moscow Aviation Institute, and Moscow State Regional University are among the institutions expected to take part in the fair, the release said.

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