Tag: Indian Students

Joe Biden administration ‘working very hard’ to thwart attacks against Indian students: White House

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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US President Joe Biden and his administration are working very hard to thwart and disrupt attacks on Indian and Indian American students, the White House has said.

The announcement by John Kirby, Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the National Security Council in the White House comes amid a slew of attacks on Indian and Indian American students in various parts of the country.

There is no excuse for violence, certainly based on race or gender or religion or any other factor. That’s just unacceptable here in the United States, Kirby told reporters in Washington when asked about the series of attacks on students from India and also those from the Indian American community. The president and this administration have been working very, very hard to make sure we’re doing everything we can to work with state and local authorities to try to thwart and disrupt those kinds of attacks and make it clear to anybody who might consider them that they’ll be held properly accountable, Kirby said.

Vivek Saini, a student working part-time in a department store, died following an attack by a drug addict in Lithonia, Georgia in January. Syed Mazahir Ali, an Indian student at Indiana Wesleyan University was assaulted in February. Deaths of at least four Indian American students have been reported in the last several weeks.

Akul Dhawan of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Neel Acharya of Purdue University died apparently due to heavy drinking followed by long exposure to low temperatures at night in January. Shreyas Reddy Benigeri, an Indian-origin student at the Lindner School of Business in Cincinnati was found dead in Ohio this month.

Indian American community leader Ajay Jain Bhutoria said he was deeply troubled by the tragic deaths of these students in separate incidents and underscored the urgent need for enhanced safety measures for those pursuing education in the US. College authorities, and local police, must address these challenges promptly, he asserted.

These incidents understandably worry parents and families in India, and their concerns are shared. It’s crucial to address safety issues to ensure the well-being of Indian students studying in the USA, he said, adding that the Indian American community unites in calling for improved safety measures and support systems.

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Indian students in Canada face deportation threat: Actual numbers lower than reported

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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A number of Indian students studying in Canada have faced the threat of deportation due to alleged fraudulent admission letters. However, according to sources, the actual number of affected students is significantly lower than the reported figure of 700.

The majority of these students had arrived in Canada between 2017 and 2019, with some obtaining work permits upon completion of their studies, while others continued their education.

Concerned about the situation, the Indian government has actively taken up the matter with Canadian authorities both in Canada and New Delhi.

The issue was also raised by the External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar during discussions with his Canadian counterpart. Additionally, the Secretary (East) of the Ministry of External Affairs raised the matter during his visit to Canada in April of this year.

The Indian Consulate in Toronto, where a majority of the affected students are based, has been in contact with many of them to provide support and assistance, sources said.

Indian officials have consistently urged Canadian authorities to approach the matter with fairness and compassion, highlighting the fact that the students themselves were not at fault, they said.

Furthermore, they emphasised that gaps in the Canadian system and a lack of diligence had allowed these students to obtain visas and enter the country.

Notably, Canadian parliamentarians from various political parties have voiced their support for the affected students. Immigration Minister Sean Frasier has expressed the active pursuit of a solution for international students facing uncertainty.

Additionally, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has acknowledged the need for fair treatment of these students.

As a result of these combined efforts, some of the affected students have recently received stay orders on their deportation notices, providing them with temporary relief.

The Canadian Government’s adoption of a humane approach and consideration of the students’ perspective is attributed to the commendable and persistent efforts made by the Government of India.

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Govt launches National Curriculum Framework for education of children aged 3-8 years

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday launched the National Curriculum Framework for foundational stage education of children in the three to eight years age group. Early childhood care and education are key areas of development, according to the 2022 framework.

“The NCF (National Curriculum Framework) is an important step taken to implement the New Education Policy-2020. I also appeal to the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) to complete curriculum, syllabus, and textbooks by next Basant Panchami,” Pradhan said at the launch.

The NCF-2022 has four sections — the National Curriculum Framework for School Education, the National Curriculum Framework for Early Childhood Care and Education, the National Curriculum Framework for Teacher Education and the National Curriculum Framework for Adult Education.

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Research from across the world on education, neuroscience and economics demonstrates clearly that ensuring free, accessible, high quality early childhood care and education is perhaps the very best investment that any country can make for its future, according to the NCF for foundational stage.

It said that “brain development is most rapid in the first eight years of a child’s life, indicating the critical importance of cognitive and socio-emotional stimulation in the early years”.

The framework has listed the ‘panchakosha’ concept for education of children and its five parts are physical development (sharirik vikas), development of life energy (pranik vikas), emotional and mental development (manasik vikas), intellectual development (bauddhik vikas) and spiritual development (chaitsik vikas).

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“Panchakosha is an ancient explication of the importance of the body-mind complex in human experience and understanding. This non-dichotomous approach to human development gives clear pathways and direction towards a more holistic education,” according to the NCF.

The framework noted that while staffing of anganwadis is not complete, it is at high levels. “Data for private institutions is not available. The number of institutions offering relevant teacher education programmes is low and inadequate. ‘Vidya pravesh’ has been developed by the NCERT for students entering class 1,” it said.

It will be transacted over three months, with four hours a day devoted to familiarising children with school environment and to provide experiences for maintaining wellbeing, the NCF said.

‘Vidya pravesh’ (entry level education) will enable learning of ethical values and cultural diversity, and interaction with the physical, social and natural environment, it said.

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

China lifts ban on student visas for Indians after two years

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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China on Monday said it plans to issue visas to the Indian students stranded at home for more than two years because of Beijing’s stringent COVID restrictions. It also said it plans to issue various travel permit categories for Indians, including business visas.

“Warmest congrats to #Indian #students! Your patience proves worthwhile. I can really share your excitement & happiness. Welcome back to #China!” Ji Rong, Counsellor, Department of Asian Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, China tweeted.

Warmest congrats to #Indian #students! Your patience proves worthwhile. I can really share your excitement & happiness. Welcome back to #China!🌹https://t.co/DKVdjVmQWP pic.twitter.com/ZHIQwIJaU1

— Ji Rong嵇蓉 (@JiRongMFA) August 22, 2022

Her tweet comprised a detailed announcement by the embassy in New Delhi, announcing the opening of visas for students, families of those working in China and businessmen. The X1-Visa would be issued for students that want to go to China for long-term study for higher education purposes. This will include students that are newly-enrolled and those returning to China to resume their studies.

More than 23,000 Indian students, most of them studying medicine, are reportedly in India due to the COVID visa restrictions. India had submitted a list of several students after China sought names of those that wanted to return immediately to pursue their studies.

Some students from Pakistan, Russia, Sri Lanka and other countries have already arrived in recent weeks on chartered flights. Monday’s announcement on the Chinese Embassy in Delhi’s website stated that student visas would be issued to the new as well as old students that could not travel because of the COVID visa bans.

While the new students should produce original admission letter issued by a university in China, the old students need to submit a Certificate of Returning to Campus’ issued by the university in China. According to official sources, over 1,000 old Indian students have expressed wish to return to re-join their studies. It is to be seen whether the universities which are processing their requests would issue the certificates for them to apply for visas.

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Another issue was that there are no direct flights between the two countries. For the first time in over two years, a chartered flight engaged by Indian businessmen and their families arrived in the Chinese city of Hangzhou recently. In July, China had permitted the family members of the Indian professionals working in China. Several of them arrived through the third country routes paying several times higher than the normal ticket rates.

Indian and Chinese officials say that talks are on between the two countries to resume flight operations. The category of visas which the Chinese embassy in India announced on Monday included C-Visa issued to crew members. Other categories of visas announced by the embassy included M-Visa issued to those who intend to go to China for commercial and trade activities, F-Visa issued to those who intend to go to China for exchanges, visits, study tours and other non-commercial activities and Z-Visa for those who intend to work in China.

Other category permits included visas for the dependents of those working in China.

With PTI inputs

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

India suspends tourist visas issued to Chinese nationals: IATA

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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India has suspended tourist visas issued to Chinese nationals, global airlines body IATA told its member carriers on April 20.

India has been raising with China the plight of approximately 22,000 Indian students enrolled in Chinese universities who are unable to go back for physical classes. However, the neighbouring country has refused to let them enter till date.

These students had to leave their studies in China and come to India because of the COVID-19 pandemic in the beginning of 2020. In a circular issued on April 20 regarding India, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said, “Tourist visas issued to nationals of China (People’s Republic) are no longer valid.” It said the following passengers are allowed to enter India — nationals of Bhutan, India, Maldives and Nepal; passengers with a residence permit issued by India; passengers with visa or an e-visa issued by India; passengers with an overseas citizen of India (OCI) card or booklet; passengers with a persons of Indian origin (PIO) card; and passengers with a diplomatic passport.

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The IATA also said that tourist visas with a validity of 10 years are no longer valid. The IATA is a global airlines body with around 290 members that comprises more than 80 percent of global air traffic.

India has urged Beijing to adopt a “congenial stance” in the matter as the continuation of the strict restrictions is putting the academic careers of thousands of Indian students in jeopardy, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi had said on March 17. Bagchi said a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson had stated on February 8 that China was looking into the matter in a coordinated manner and that arrangements for allowing foreign students to return to China were being examined. “But let me clarify that till date, the Chinese side has not given any categorical response about the return of Indian students. We will continue to urge the Chinese side to adopt a congenial stance in the interest of our students and that they facilitate an early return to China so that our students can pursue their studies,” Bagchi said.

He said the issue was also taken up with Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar during a meeting in Dushanbe in September last year. The two foreign ministers had held talks in the Tajik capital city on the sidelines of a conclave of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

US student visa interviews to begin in mid-May but you are unlikely to have a second chance

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The US embassy in Delhi has said that the visa interviews for students will begin in mid-May. It hopes to issue more than 62,000 student visas this year.

“This year, we will open student visa interviews earlier in mid-May and hope to issue even more student visas than the 62,000 issued last year, which was more than ever before,” Donald L Heflin, minister-counselor for consular affairs at the US embassy in Delhi, told The Economic Times.

However, Heflin said that F-1 student visa applicants from India this year are unlikely to get a second or third chance if it is not approved in the first interview.

Explaining the policy change, Heflin said that they wanted to give all the fresh applicants, who are turning up for the first time, a chance, rather than allowing those who have already applied before.

“The best way to do that is to block out the people refused a student visa before,” he said, as quoted by ET.

F1 visas are issued to international students for allowing them to enter the United States and study at a college or university on a full-time basis.

A report released by the Institute of International Education last year had highlighted that the number of Indians studying in the US had come down by nearly 13 percent in 2020-21 compared to the year before. The drop was attributed to the impact of COVID-19.

However, the 2021 Open Doors Report had said that the US remained the top education destination of international students with Indians being the second largest group studying in the country after China.

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

S Jaishankar raises issue of return of Indian students to China with Wang Yi

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday raised with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi the issue of the return of Indian students to China to resume their studies and hoped that Beijing will adopt a “non-discriminatory approach” on it. Jaishankar held extensive talks with Wang who arrived in Delhi on Thursday evening on an unannounced visit.

“I took up strongly the predicament of Indian students studying in China who have not been allowed to return, citing COVID restrictions. We hope that China will take a non-discriminatory approach since it involves the future of so many young people,” Jaishankar said at a media briefing shortly after the talks.

“Minister Wang Yi assured me that he would speak to the relevant authorities on his return on this matter. He also recognised the particular concerns that medical students have in this difficult situation,” he said. A large number of Indian students had come back to India when China has closed down all universities following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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China had restricted travel by suspending visa and residence permits from March 27, 2020, in view of the pandemic. According to information available, approximately 20,000 Indian students were enrolled in various courses including clinical medicine courses in different Chinese universities at that time, Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan said in Rajya Sabha on Thursday.

The students are now struggling to return to the universities. India has been taking up the matter of the return of Indian students with the Chinese authorities both in New Delhi and through its Embassy in China.

In the media briefing, Jaishankar said matters pertaining to trade and investment also figured. “We continue to press for fairer market access,” he said. Jaishankar said the Afghan situation also figured in the talks.

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“We discussed today specific regional situations. Insofar as Afghanistan is concerned, India’s policy is guided by the UN Security Council Resolution 2593,” he said. The UNSC resolution 2593, adopted on August 30 under India’s presidency of the global body, talked about the need for upholding human rights in Afghanistan, demanded that Afghan territory should not be used for terrorism and that a negotiated political settlement should be found out to the crisis.

“On Ukraine, we discussed our respective approaches and perspectives but agreed that diplomacy and dialogue must be the priority,” Jaishankar said.

“We also spent some time on multilateral issues. I emphasised the need to take forward the long-overdue reform of the UN system, including the Security Council,” he said.

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Indian medical students abroad with incomplete internships due to compelling situations to get relief

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Indian students pursuing medical studies abroad, who could not complete their internship due to compelling situations such as the Russia-Ukraine war and the COVID-19 pandemic, will now be able to finish their remaining internship in the country, the government said on Friday.

However, this will be subject to the condition that such candidates must have cleared the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE), a screening test, which is mandatory for Indian students with foreign medical qualification to practice medicine in India, Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar said in a written reply in Lok Sabha.

She was responding to a question on whether the government proposes to frame a scheme for admission of students, who have returned from China and those evacuated from Ukraine, to medical colleges in the country and also to allow them to do their internship here.

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Pawar in her written reply said,  “Section 14 of the NMC Act, 2019 prescribes conducting of a uniform entrance examination namely National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) to all medical educational institutions at undergraduate and post-graduate level. Also, Clause 8 (iv) of Eligibility Requirement for Taking Admission in an Undergraduate Medical Course in a Foreign Medical Institution Regulation, 2002 provides for that any Indian citizens/overseas citizen of India intending to obtain primary medical qualification from any medical institution outside India, on or after May 2018, shall have to mandatorily qualify the NEET for admission to MBBS course. The result of the NEET shall deem to be treated as the eligibility certificate for such persons and no separate permission required from the the NMC.”

Therefore, data of students going abroad to pursue MBBS is not maintained centrally.

“The NMC, for the betterment of Indian student pursuing medical studies abroad, vide circular dated March 4, 2022 has allowed foreign medical graduates with incomplete internship due to such compelling situation which is beyond their control such as war and COVID-19 pandemic etc. to complete their remaining part of internship in India subject to the condition that such candidates must have cleared FMGE (Screening Test), which is mandatory for Indian students with foreign medical qualification to practice medicine in India,” she said.

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Body of Indian medical student killed in Ukraine arrives in Bengaluru

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The mortal remains of a medical student from the state, who was killed in Russian shelling in war-torn Ukraine, arrived at the airport here on Monday. Naveen Shekarappa Gyanagaudar, a Final Year Medical student at Kharkiv National Medical University, died on March 1, in the conflict zone.

Gyanagaudar’s family members, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai were among the others present at the airport to receive the body. The body was then taken to Gyanagaudar’s native place, Chalageri village of Ranebennur taluk in Haveri district.

Stating that it is unfortunate that Gyanagaudar lost his life in the conflict zone, Bommai speaking to reporters said, “His mother was crying for the body to come. Initially, we were also sceptical about the possibility of bringing the body from the war zone. It was a herculean task, which was successfully conducted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with his huge diplomatic strength and image.

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” Thanking the Prime Minister, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and officials, for bringing thousands of students back home from Ukraine, he said, “this (bringing body) was just impossible because most of the time we can’t get the bodies of our soldiers from war zones, but here getting a citizen’s body that too from a third country, is just a miracle.” Gyanagaudar’s parents have decided to donate the body to a private hospital in Davangere’ after paying their last respects.

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow