Afghan students face 'tense future' studying in India

By Ahmad Adil

NEW DELHI (AA) - Last July, when Murtaza Zoya was close to finishing his master's degree from a university in northern India, he was hoping to fly back to his home country, Afghanistan, after finishing his engineering degree.

A week later in August, when the Taliban captured Kabul and took power in the war-torn country, it did not go well for Zoya in India.

More than six months later, Zoyla is now based in the Indian northern city of Chandigarh, his student visa has expired and he is jobless.

"I applied for a Ph.D. scholarship but there has been no response through the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) yet. Things are getting tougher with each passing day," Zoya told Anadolu Agency.

The ICCR is a government agency responsible for awarding scholarships under different schemes to foreign students from about 140 countries.

These days, Zoya’s family in Afghanistan is sending him money. But he said it is not enough.

"As students, we are not allowed to do jobs here. We are just waiting to see things going better for us."

Zoya’s is not the only case in India. Many who are studying in different educational institutions in the country are caught in a difficult situation.

Students from Afghanistan have been taking admissions either on government scholarship or they are self-financed. More than 10,000 students from Afghanistan are believed to be pursuing higher education in India.

On the eve of International Students Day on Monday, several students said they are helpless and their future is bleak. They are waiting for support from the Indian government.

Abdul Monir Kakar, a student working for the welfare of Afghanistan students in India, told Anadolu Agency that a number of students have sent admission letters to the ICCR office to receive scholarships but they have not received a response.

"These students don't feel safe to go back to Afghanistan because their fathers have worked in the previous regime which fought the Taliban," he said.

He said that family members of students cannot support them financially.

"As per the Indian legal codes, foreign students can't work if they have come with student visas," he said. "So everyone is worried and faces a tense future."

- Need scholarship grants

Kakar said students need immediate psychological consultation along with scholarship grants. "The situation is such that they may also not be able to afford medical costs in case of illness. These students also can't pay their rents by themselves," he said.

What has brought a worry for many is that students would be graduating soon and they will have no option.

"They may not be able to go back home soon, therefore they may face financial and visa problems," said Kakar. "They may not be able to utilize their education in India as they are not allowed to work."

In times of distress, some universities have helped, according to students.

Self-financed Kimya Hamid told Anadolu Agency that her university gave foreign students an option to submit fees at the end of the semester because of the ongoing situation. "But, the financial issue continues to be a big problem for students here," she said. "It is worrying everyone."

- Promises not fulfilled

Afghan student Mustafa Bahadurzada told Anadolu Agency there are hundreds of students who are stuck in India without any source of income. He said there is not much help coming from the government.

"Almost five months we have been trying to get help from the government. Promises were made to us, but nothing has been done by them," he said, adding that students are feeling hopeless and living with an unclear future.

The ICCR said it cannot give scholarships to every student.

ICCR President Vinay Sahasrabuddhe said the agency cannot ensure scholarships to all of the Afghan students currently in India.

“There are rules and regulations governing this (process). Scholarships cannot be doled out to every student, it (decision) is based on merit,” Sahasrabuddhe told The Indian Express newspaper last week.