The education fair, scheduled from 10 am to 5 pm, will feature the direct participation of seven leading higher educational institutions, all belonging to the Russian government, and will offer as many as 10,000 MBBS seats for Indian students. The sharp rise in the number of seats reflects the growing demand for medical education in Russia, which currently remains the only foreign country fully aligned with the latest NMC regulations governing overseas medical education.
Spot admissions for MBBS and other academic programs will be conducted during the fair. The event will also be organised across several locations in Tamil Nadu. The Madurai edition will be held on May 12 at Hotel Royal Court, followed by Trichy on May 13 at Hotel Femina, Salem on May 14 at GRT Hotel Zibe, and Coimbatore on May 15 at The Grand Regent Hotel. Entry to the fair is free of cost.
The MBBS courses offered in Russia are designed to provide students with a strong foundation in theoretical knowledge and practical skills, preparing them to meet the challenges of a rapidly evolving healthcare landscape. The courses are heavily subsidised by the Russian government, making them among the most affordable international medical education options available to Indian students. The total annual fee starts from as low as Rs. 3.5 lakh per annum.
Indian students who have cleared the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) and secured a minimum of 50 per cent marks in the relevant core subjects or degrees are eligible to apply for MBBS programs in Russia. For SC, ST, and OBC students, the minimum eligibility requirement is 40 per cent marks. Tamil medium students are also eligible to apply. There are no pre-qualifying examinations such as CET or IELTS required for admission to Russian universities.
The Education Fair 2026 will also showcase science, technology, and engineering institutions offering programs in emerging and cutting-edge fields including biotechnology, artificial intelligence, and data science.
The universities participating in the fair include Volgograd State Medical University, Volgograd; National Research Nuclear University MEPhI, Moscow; Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, Kaliningrad; Kazan State Medical University, Kazan; North Caucasus Federal University, Stavropol; Moscow Aviation Institute, Moscow; and Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow.
The press meet organised to announce the launch of the fair was addressed by Mr. Valerii Khodzhaev, Consul General, Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Chennai, South India; Mr. Alexander Dodonov, Vice Consul and Director, Russian House, Chennai; Dr. Berezhanskiy Pavel Viacheslavovich, Professor, N.F. Filatov of The Sechenov’s University; and Mr. Ravi Chandran C, Managing Director, Study Abroad Educational Consultants, the authorised Indian representative for Russian Universities.
Addressing the media, Mr. Valerii Khodzhaev said Russian universities have maintained a long-standing reputation for providing high-quality medical education globally. He stated that Indian students have been pursuing higher education in Russian universities for the past 60 years and added that Russia continues to remain the top choice for Indian students seeking medical education abroad because Russian universities proactively comply with changing NMC norms and guidelines to ensure their MBBS programs remain recognised in India.
He further stated that every year thousands of Indian students travel to Russia for globally recognised and affordable education. According to him, Russian universities provide a robust learning environment through comprehensive curricula, experienced faculty, and advanced facilities.
Speaking about scholarship opportunities, Mr. Alexander Dodonov said that the Russian Government’s annual 100 per cent scholarship programs will award grants to more than 200 Indian students this year. The scholarships will allow students to pursue Bachelor’s, Master’s, Specialist, and Postgraduate programs in leading Russian universities free of cost. He added that higher education in Russia remains relatively inexpensive because it is heavily subsidised by the Government of the Russian Federation. He also noted that several universities have established special adaptation programs and support systems for Indian students.
Mr. Ravi Chandran stated that more than 300,000 international students from 200 different countries are currently enrolled in approximately 600 government universities across Russia. He noted that medicine continues to be the most popular field of study among Indian students pursuing higher education in Russia.
According to him, nearly 25,000 Indian students are presently studying medicine in around 30 Russian universities offering M.D programs, which are considered equivalent to MBBS degrees in India. He said all Russian universities adhere to NMC guidelines, including the latest norms issued in November 2021 regarding the duration of the MBBS program and internship, curriculum structure, and English-medium instruction.
He also asserted that the institutions have ensured that the safety and education of Indian students remain unaffected by external geopolitical situations.
Highlighting additional academic support, Mr. Ravi Chandran said that eight weeks of intense training conducted every year by the Academy for Foreign Medical Graduates, Delhi, from the second year of study until the final year is a significant feature aimed at improving students’ pass percentages.
Students seeking spot admissions and further details regarding Bachelor’s and Postgraduate degree programs for the 2026-27 academic year, scheduled to commence from September 2026, have been invited to attend the All India Russian Education Fair 2026 with valid credentials supporting their eligibility.
The education fair marks a major push by Russian universities to strengthen academic ties with India while positioning Russia as a leading destination for affordable, government-supported, and NMC-compliant medical education for Indian students.
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