The Indian Embassy in China recently organized its inaugural interactive session with Indian students who faced significant challenges during the three-year COVID-19 period, exacerbated by China’s visa bans, which extended their academic timelines. Over 80 students from more than 13 Chinese universities participated in the "welcome and interaction ceremony" held on May 4.
Indian Ambassador to China Pradeep Kumar Rawat and Counsellor Nitinjeet Singh engaged with the students, attentively listening to their grievances and experiences during the meeting on Saturday. Additionally, Amit Sharma, Second Secretary (Education), delivered a comprehensive presentation on the Embassy's services, student guidelines, and protocols.
Before the onset of the pandemic in early 2020, China hosted over 23,000 Indian students, primarily pursuing medical education, making them the second-largest cohort of foreign students after those from Pakistan. Presently, this number has reportedly decreased to around 10,000. Indian students favored Chinese medical universities due to the high fees of private medical colleges in India and the competitive nature of admissions to government institutions. However, they must pass the Foreign Medical Graduates Examination in India to practice in their home country.
The outbreak of COVID-19 prompted many Indian students to return home during lockdowns, with their re-entry delayed until early 2021 due to China's visa restrictions. The subsequent influx of students occurred in late 2022, coinciding with Chinese universities' admission of new students.
Several long-term Indian students expressed dismay over China's COVID-related visa bans, feeling that Beijing could have demonstrated greater compassion considering the adverse impact on their academic progress and limited financial resources, mainly stemming from middle-class backgrounds.
The recent meeting marked the Embassy's proactive approach to engage with students, acknowledging their challenges and grievances. During the height of the COVID visa bans, the Embassy actively advocated with China for the students' early return, recognizing the disruption caused to their academic pursuits.
Students were reminded to adhere strictly to local laws and regulations during the meeting. Recent reports highlighted the detention of three Indian students in China on criminal charges, underscoring the importance of students exercising caution and compliance while studying abroad.
