China allows return of selected Indian students to finish courses

Selected Indian students studying in China but stranded in their home country since early 2020 because of the Covid-19 pandemic will be allowed to return to Chinese universities, the country’s foreign ministry and the Indian embassy on Friday said.

The announcement, first by China and then by the Indian embassy, is good news for the students, but it comes with a key rider – not everyone will be allowed back immediately, and no timeline has been given.

“China is ready to receive some of Indian students under the current complicated severe epidemic situation,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said on Friday, emphasising that their return will depend on the “international epidemic situation, the evolving circumstances, and their majors”.

“The Chinese side has expressed its willingness to consider facilitating the return of Indian students to China on a need-assessed basis,” the Indian embassy statement said. “In order to facilitate this, the Indian Embassy intends to prepare a list of such students which will be shared with the Chinese side for their consideration.” It asked Indian students to provide necessary information by May 8, and gave a Google Forms link for it.

The criteria for selecting the students wasn’t explained by either China or India, but people aware of the matter said it would likely depend on which year – especially for the large number of medical students – of their course the students are in.

The information quickly made its way across social media especially among students’ groups, which have petitioned both governments for long to arrange for their return to Chinese campuses.

“China attaches high importance to Indian students’ concerns about returning to China for studies. We have shared with Indian sides the procedures and experience of other countries’ students returning to China. Actually, the work for Indian students’ return has already been started,” Zhao said.

Most of the students left China in 2020, around the time the Covid-19 pandemic was spreading in the country, but have been ready to return to continue their education for over two years. They have, however, been unable to do so because of pandemic-related restrictions imposed on international travel by the Chinese government. The deteriorating Sinoindia ties because of the ongoing Line of Actual Control (LAC) row since May, 2020 further added to the uncertainties and doubts in the minds of Indians stuck home.

THE CRITERIA FOR SELECTING STUDENTS WEREN’T CLEAR BUT OFFICIALS SAID IT MAY DEPEND ON WHICH YEAR OF COURSE THE STUDENTS ARE IN