Indian students studying in china can now go back to complete their courses
That china has resumed issuing visas to Indian students after two years must be a big relief for the Indian students studying there. Thousands of students had to abandon their studies as covid struck and they were made to leave the country. Since then their studies have been in limbo as China refused to take them back. In fact, 23,000 odd medical students studying in China are still waiting here to go back to their respective universities in China. They had staged several dharnas and even demanded the government of India to allow them to complete their studies in Indian universities but that did not happen as rules do not permit it. Now that China announced its plan to issue visas to Indian students stranded here since their return two years back when COVID was at its peak and strict restrictions were imposed by China on foreign students. Now that COVID has wained it is also allowing Indian travelers for other purposes including business. China's relaxing of the travel rules would mean that X1-Visa, will be issued to students to not only the students already enrolled but also new students. After much deliberations and insistence of MEA China agreed to issue visas to Indian students studying in China on a case-by-case basis and sought the names of those wanting to return immediately to pursue their studies. The new students would have to show an original admission letter issued by a university. The old students however can s submit a 'Certificate of Returning to Campus'issued by the university in China. Over 1,000 old Indian students have expressed the wish to return to re-join their studies. Two further facilitate the travel Indian and Chinese officials are preparing a plan to resume flight operations.
This may end the woes of Indian students studying in China but the career of those students who were studying in Ukraine still remains uncertain. They have been running from pillar to post to convince the government of India to let them complete their studies in Indian universities which rules do not permit. The government of India should come up with a comprehensive plan for Indian students studying in foreign countries if their studies are interrupted due to no fault of theirs such as a pandemic or war. Most of these students are from middle-class families whose families have spent their lives saving to get their children good education abroad. The rules must be changed to allow these students to complete their courses in such exigencies.