KATHMANDU: The 2015 and 2016 batches of Nepali students, who studied MBBS from China, have held demonstration demanding internship opportunity at Maitighar Mandala in Kathmandu Wednesday.

The demonstration was held to pressurize and draw the government’s attention towards facilitating internship opportunity in the country. China-returnee students expressed worry about their future as their internship remains pending to complete their medical degrees.

Though the government arranged internship for 2014 batch, the same remains to be done for the remaining batches.

A student at the demonstration said Nepali authorities were dillydallying in prompt management of internships to medical students. “We are going to be useful to the country. Coronavirus pandemic brought to the fore the importance of medical experts. Considering all this, our government’s apathy towards us is unimaginable,” he said.

The Ministry of Education Wednesday issued a notification stating that students who have been enrolled in the 2015 batch and have completed their theoretical studies so far will be given internship in Nepal. However, the batch of 2016 is still excluded from the notice.

Students have demanded that the ministry re-issue the notification by including remaining batches as well.

The agitating students also demanded to make arrangements for internship even for those who received permission to study in China from the Nepal Medical Council in 2015 and enrolled in Chinese universities in 2016.

Students who have not been able to complete their internship in China due to the coronavirus pandemic. They complained that the future is in doubt as the government has not addressed their demands despite repeated reminders.