No visas, Afghan students enrolled in Indian univs in a fix
NEW DELHI: The fate of over 2,500 Afghan students, enrolled in different universities across India, hangs in limbo: not just are their visas not being renewed, they are also being denied online classes, leaving most of them feeling rudderless. While some are exploring admissions elsewhere, many continue to wait for their Indian visas to be renewed.
“I was a student of public administration in a postgraduate degree in India. However, after the fall of the Afghan government on August 15, 2021, and takeover by Taliban, the Indian visas that we had were considered void. We live under fear in Afghanistan as higher education for girls is not a possibility. There is uncertainty. For two years, we have tried for visas, all in vain,” said Tayyeba Saleh, who was enrolled in Gujarat Technological University.
Many International students studying in India are granted admissions under the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR). ICCR awards over 3,000 scholarships under 21 different schemes to foreign students from about 180 countries. Consular services haven’t begun in Indian Embassy in Kabul since Taliban government took over two years ago. That’s one of the reasons for the non-renewal of visas. Some e-visas have been granted for people with medical emergencies, but few students have managed it.
“I am pursuing a PhD from Mysore University and have a valid visa to continue my studies. I have been representing Afghan students waiting for visas, and have written to the Indian authorities with the optimism that it would be renewed,” Onib Dadgar, a member of Afghan Youth Representative to ASIA, told this newspaper.
Dadgar added that many Indian universities have notified the students about cancellation of their courses as they haven’t attended offline classes on time. Afghan students have been requesting India to issue them e-visas, at least to those who had valid study visas before the Taliban took over.
While some students have taken admission in Pakistan, Turkey, Iran and Russia, there is a large segment that wants to return to India. “Some of the ICCR scholarship holders had government jobs in Afghanistan and it is mandated for them to update their progress report on their degrees in India. But now many fear losing their jobs now,” Dadgar added.