Hundreds of Afghan students in India are voicing their frustration over their uncertain situation. These students claim that their scholarships for the academic year 2023-2024 haven’t been extended. Despite their persistent efforts, the Taliban Ministry of Higher Education, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, the Afghan Embassy in New Delhi, and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) have not responded. According to these students, the Indian government abruptly halted scholarships for Afghan students in the new year without providing clear reasons or details. They also criticize the behavior of ICCR officials, considering it disrespectful. On the other hand, female students, concerned about their deteriorating economic and psychological conditions, state that they are trapped in a state of limbo. They urge the Indian government to understand the circumstances of women under the Taliban’s rule and grant them scholarships to alleviate their predicament.
After the Taliban’s takeover, the majority of Afghan university students and professors pursuing education abroad have faced numerous challenges. Many of these students, upon completing their academic programs, chose not to return to Afghanistan due to adverse political conditions and dire economic circumstances. Nonetheless, they are encountering significant hardships in their host countries.
Following two years of Taliban rule, hundreds of Afghan students in India are voicing profound concern about their dire economic state and uncertain future. Currently, around 700 male and female students are grappling with deteriorating mental well-being and an ambiguous path ahead. These students, whose scholarships for the 2023-2024 academic year have not been renewed, allege that the Ministry of Higher Education under Taliban control, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, the Afghan Embassy in New Delhi, and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) have not addressed their queries. They affirm losing a semester of studies and, as their student visas expire, struggling to find rental accommodations. Dormitory officials have also informed them that staying in dorms after visa expiration is not possible.
These students emphasize that following the fall of the Afghan government to the Taliban, ICCR had committed to awarding scholarships to Afghan students in India. They recall that, with support from the Indian government, many of them could pursue education across various academic levels. However, in the upcoming year, this institution has abruptly ceased providing scholarships to Afghan students, without providing reasons for this sudden change.
Afghan students in India have gathered from different universities in New Delhi over the past few months to discuss their suspended scholarships and dire economic conditions with the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, the scholarship-granting institution, and the Afghan Embassy in India. According to them, these institutions have not responded. Some of these students have described the behavior and language of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), the scholarship-granting entity, as “humiliating and insulting.”
One of these students stated, “In the latest instance, they responded with humiliation. The language was insulting and the tone was derogatory. They mentioned that YouTubers are active in Afghanistan. The situation is normal there, so we should go back. Afghanistan’s ambassador in New Delhi has been absent for the past two months. The autumn semester is about to begin, and we are still trapped in uncertainty.”
Meanwhile, female students are expressing that they are facing significant challenges as their student visas expire. They assert that returning to Afghanistan under Taliban rule undermines all their efforts and aspirations for the country’s development. These young women add that once they complete an academic program, staying in India is not permitted, and they are unable to travel to other countries.
Parwana Hussaini, a graduate student from Punjab University in India, conveyed in an interview with Hasht-e Subh Daily: “Our visas have expired. We are grappling with numerous challenges, whether it’s economic difficulties or housing and visa issues. Going elsewhere from India is not an option. No doors are open to us. There is no one to resolve our problems.”
Female students indicate that in 2021, after India cut ties with the Taliban, flights were suspended, and ICCR awarded scholarships to both male and female students at various academic levels. However, for the upcoming year, ICCR has not responded to their appeals, and there is no information about scholarship allocation. Female students point out that living in India without a visa exposes them to the risk of imprisonment and prosecution.
Roma Mohibbi, another student, highlights that an agreement between the previous Afghan government and India obligated India to award one thousand scholarships annually to Afghan students from 2020 to 2025. She points out that while India has granted these scholarships to Afghan students in India over the last two years, they have not been awarded this year. They appeal to India to comprehend Afghanistan’s situation and extend scholarships to female students, women, and other students, providing relief from uncertainty.
Afghan students in India affirm that despite their efforts spanning several months, no decision has been taken to positively alter their prospects. These students also reveal that they lack the foundation or authorization to work in India, further compounding their economic difficulties.
It’s important to note that India has stood as one of the major aid contributors to Afghanistan over the past two decades. Beyond extending financial assistance and participating in the reconstruction and development of the nation’s infrastructure, India has offered numerous scholarships at various academic levels to students and aspiring learners in Afghanistan. Currently, a significant number of Afghan students are actively pursuing education in various cities across India, although precise statistics are currently unavailable.
