Another semester online for medical students enrolled in Chinese varsities?

The affected students had urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene in the matter and facilitate the students’ return through an open letter

With merely weeks left before the beginning of the new semester, Indian students enrolled in medical courses in China are now gearing up for yet another semester online. Their efforts to complete their course in their college in China have not borne fruits yet.

Another semester online for medical students enrolled in Chinese varsities?

“In a couple of weeks, our new semester will kick-off. There has been no communication from the university regarding international students’ return to campuses. As medical students, we have already completed three semesters online, without any practical experience,” said a third-year medical student, on the condition of anonymity.

In June, the ministry of external affairs (MEA) issued a notice in favour of students studying in international universities, stuck in India due to the pandemic. MEA asked such students to write to its Overseas Indian Affairs (OIA) office about difficulties in reaching out to their university.

“Indian students studying abroad who are stuck in India owing to Covid-19 pandemic restrictions and mobility issues can send their coordinates, that is, email ID and mobile number to OIA-II division at emails: us.oia2@mea.gov.in and so1oia2@mea.gov.in,” said the notice on the official website.

Thereafter, affected students had urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene in the matter and facilitate the students’ return through an open letter.

“Nothing much has come of it. We informed our university about the difficulties we have been facing while attending online classes. In response, we were asked to refer to study material online if we are not able to understand well during classes,” said a third-year student from Jianghan University in Wuhan.

Students have been complaining that online classes and uncertainty over their return to campuses have led to mental stress. “Studying online for a prolonged time is exacting an immense mental toll on students. An increasing number of students are suffering from anxiety and stress due to uncertainty in the tentative date of return,” said students in an open letter issued earlier.

Students of Chinese universities returned to India last year amid a raging pandemic as their universities imposed lockdowns. More than a year on, they have not been able to return to campuses as China continues to impose a travel ban for international students.

Earlier this year, students pursuing their degrees in Chinese universities approached the United Nations (UN) hoping for positive development. In a letter signed by over 20,000 medical, graduate and undergraduate school students studying in universities in China, Japan and Australia, students have urged the UN to intervene in the matter and help lift border restrictions that have left thousands of students stranded in their home countries for the past one year.

According to data from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), in 2018 and 2019, China received around 500,000 international students each, the third-highest in the world after the United States (US) and the United Kingdom (UK). Official data shows that in 2018, over 23,000 Indian students were enrolled in various programmes in China. Indians represent the fourth largest group of international students in China, after South Koreans, Thais and Pakistanis.