- Sunday, May 19, 2024
The number of Indian students studying in China reduced from 23,000 in early 2020 until the pandemic struck the world to just 10,000 currently.
By: Twinkle Roy
THE Indian Embassy in China recently held its maiden interactive meeting with students from India who suffered after Beijing banned visas during the COVID-19 pandemic that led to prolonging their academic years.
Nearly 80 old and new students from over 13 universities in the host nation participated in the “welcome and interaction ceremony” which was held on Saturday (4).
Indian ambassador to China Pradeep Kumar Rawat and counsellor Nitinjeet Singh spoke with the students and heard their grievances and experiences during the meeting.
The meeting also included a detailed presentation by Amit Sharma, second secretary (education) on various services offered by the embassy, Dos & Don’ts for students, the embassy said in a post on X.
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@EOIBeijing organized a welcome and interaction ceremony for Indian students on 4th May at SVCC Auditorium in Embassy premises. Amb Pradeep Kumar Rawat graced the occasion. Around 80 students of more than 13 universities from different provinces attended this interaction. pic.twitter.com/7v8m11772H
— India in China (@EOIBeijing) May 5, 2024
https://twitter.com/EOIBeijing/status/1786908772276765171
https://twitter.com/EOIBeijing/status/1786908789200818347
Many old students said while interacting with the media during the session that they were hut hard by China’s COVID visa bans and felt it could have handled the crisis more compassionately, taking into consideration the impact the restrictions had on their academic careers and finances as most of them belong to middle-class families.
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When COVID-19 broke out in China, most of the Indian students returned home at the height of lockdowns that were induced and could not go back for their studies due to Beijing’s ban on visas and other restrictions.
Many of them could start returning for studies only in the latter part of 2022 while the Chinese universities began a new intake of students last year.
The number of Indian students studying in China has significantly reduced, from over 23,000 until COVID-19 struck the country in early 2020, positioning India’s contribution of student migrants as second-highest after Pakistan, to around 10,000 currently.
While private medical colleges in India charge students exorbitantly high fees, entrance exams for government institutions are extremely competitive, compelling several Indian students to try their luck in China.
However, once they graduate, they need to write the Foreign Medical Graduates Examination in India to qualify for practice in the country.
The Indian embassy actively pursued with China to allow an early return for the students considering the damage the delay caused to their studies, during the peak of COVID visa bans.
In the meeting, students were also urged to remain cautious and abide by the local laws.
Recent reports reveal three Indian students are under detention in China on charges of criminal offenses.
(With PTI inputs)
