Team Blitz India
THE Indian Embassy in China held first interactive session in Beijing with Indian students affected by Covid-19 visa bans. Indian students endured hardships during the prolonged Covid-19 period, exacerbated by China’s visa bans.
The session, titled ‘Welcome and Interaction Ceremony’, convened on May 4, saw participation from approximately 80 students, comprising both returning and new admissions from over 13 Chinese universities.
Indian Ambassador to China, Pradeep Kumar Rawat, along with Counsellor Nitinjeet Singh, engaged with the students during the session, listening to their grievances and sharing experiences. Amit Sharma, Second Secretary (Education), delivered a comprehensive presentation on the array of services provided by the Embassy, offering guidance on student conduct and Embassy protocols.
Expressing their dismay over China’s Covid-19 visa bans, some students highlighted the detrimental impact on their academic progress and financial constraints, particularly affecting those from middle-class backgrounds. Before the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in early 2020, more than 23,000 Indian students, predominantly studying medicine, were enrolled in Chinese universities, marking the second-highest contingent of foreign students after Pakistan.
However, current estimates indicate a significant decline, with student numbers dwindling to approximately 10,000 in China. Chinese medical universities had become favoured destinations due to the prohibitively high fees charged by private medical colleges in India, coupled with intense competition for admissions to government institutions. Despite their education abroad, Indian medical students are required to clear the Foreign Medical Graduates Examination in India to qualify for medical practice in their home country.
