As the borders of Afghanistan become increasingly suffocating for its citizens due to the Taliban coup, the country is witnessing a mass exodus. Among the fleeing lot are Afghan students who were enrolled in Indian institutes. The students, worried for their safety and education, are seeking permission to return to campus. They have contacted the institutes to allow them to continue their course from within the campus and expedite paperwork for their visas. Consequently, many institutes have agreed to their requests.

IIT Bombay director Subhasis Chaudhuri through a social media post said, “Students from Afghanistan were pursuing their master’s programme online; however, the situation in their country is rapidly deteriorating. They have requested to join campus hostels, and we’ve given approval for the same. However, we are not sure how late it is for them to pursue their dreams.”

IIT Delhi Dean (International Relations and Alumni) Naveen Gard mentioned to TOI that even if the students allow the students to return, the paperwork depends on the bureaucracy. The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) is also considering requests made by Afghan students to return to Indian campuses.

Many Afghan students come to India on scholarships offered by the Indian Council of Indian Relations (ICCR). As a consequence, ICCR’s Mumbai office is facilitating the issuance of visas, working in coordination with the Indian embassy in Kabul. Even if students manage to get the visas in order, other issues pertain to allowances given to flights from Taliban-captured Afghanistan still stand in the way.

Every year, around 1000 educational scholarships are offered to Afghan students wanting to study in India. Along with the students stuck in their homeland, students studying in India are also grappling with severe anxiety.

Read all the Latest News, Breaking News and Coronavirus News here