IITs plan to allow Afghan students return to campus; JNU students send SOS to administration

Owing to the condition in Afghanistan, many Afghani students from across India have approached their concerned Universities, colleges and educational institutions to extend the duration of their visa or allow them to come back to campus. 

With the Taliban taking control over the Afghan capital and Afghanistan government collapsing, several Afghan students studying in India are feeling anxious over violence ongoing back home. As per media reports, President Ashraf Ghani has left the country and the Taliban will soon proclaim the re-establishment of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.

Owing to the condition in Afghanistan, many Afghani students from across India have approached their concerned Universities, colleges and educational institutions to extend the duration of their visa or allow them to come back to campus. 

IITs to allow Afghani students to return to campus

Following the requests by several students, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay has announced that it has decided to allow the Afghan students to return to the Mumbai campus and continue with their studies in India. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, students were earlier asked to go back to their hometown and vacate the campus. However, considering the situation, IIT Bombay has decided to call them back.

"We offered admission to quite a few students from Afghanistan in the master's program this year under scholarships from ICCR. Because of online instructions, they were participating in the class from home. However, due to rapidly deteriorating conditions in their homeland, they wanted to come out of their country and join the hostels on the campus. Although we have approved their request to come to the campus as a special case, we are not sure how late it is for them to pursue their dreams. We hope that they are all safe and can join us soon," IIT Bombay, Director, Subhasis Chaudhuri, said in a Facebook post.

Later in the day, during a press conference, he said, "Nine students were admitted this year and they were attending online classes. The two students from the previous year are already on campus. Since these students are ICCR sponsored, the ICCR Mumbai office is working closely with the Indian Embassy in Kabul to issue visas to them. The institute will support them both financially and academically. In case a student who has enrolled this year is not able to join back due to the ongoing situation, as a special case, he/she will be given a chance to continue their course next year too. Hence, they should not feel stressed about the same. If required, we will definitely provide fee exemption to those who are in need."

Hundred of students currently reside across India under India’s aid of human resource development and capacity building to Afghanistan. As part of this, India gives out 1,000 educational scholarships to Afghan nationals each year with a 100 per cent utilisation in most years.

Seeing how the situation is getting out of hand, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi has launched a helpline to help Afghan students return to campus safely. Students can check the IIT Delhi helpline numbers given here: +91-011 26591713, +91-9811091942.  The IIT Delhi has also announced about the International PhD fellowship programme. Students can apply on international.iitd.ac.in or intladm.iitd.ac.in.

Director V Ramgopal Rao also expressed solidarity with Afghan students and alumni. Director Rao posted from his Twitter handle: “In this hour of crisis, IIT Delhi stands in solidarity with our students and alumni from Afghanistan. We are doing everything possible to get the students to return to the campus. Let's give them hope.”

 

 

Dean (alumni and international relation) IIT Delhi, Naveen Garg told a media house," IIT Delhi has made a provision for these students to return to the campus. But a lot depends on bureaucratic hurdles they may face now. For instance, a student wrote to us, saying he could not get his visa processed due to long queues at the embassy office."  Of the 17 Afghan students, none are on the campus right now and three have indicated that they will be coming soon, he added.

JNU students from Afghanistan reach out to authority 

About 22 students from Afghanistan studying at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) have also approached the authority and have requested to extend their visas through academic courses as they are not willing to go back to their country. 

JNU administration has also released a press note stating "Some Afghan students of JNU have requested the JNU administration to facilitate their return to the Campus. As the University has remained closed as per the latest Circular issued by the DDMA, Govt. of NCT, Delhi, this matter is currently being looked into." 

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