Indian Medical Students in Iran Seek PM Modi's Help Amid Safety Concerns

Speaking to ANI, Mohammad Momin Khan, President of the Jammu and Kashmir unit of AIMSA, highlighted the concerns following a recent travel advisory from the Indian High Commission in Tehran, which has asked citizens to return.

"The Indian High Commission in Tehran issued an advisory, in which they have asked their citizens to return. However, we have received information from students that their exams are scheduled for the 5th March. Some students have already arrived in India, so it is not possible for them to return. The current situation is very tense, and their parents are also very worried," Khan said.

Underlining the need for diplomatic coordination to ensure students can follow safety protocols without academic loss, he added, "We've even written a letter to the Prime Minister so that the exams can be postponed in coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs, and every university can be informed that their exams should be postponed so that the students can easily return."

This push for government intervention comes as concerns continue to mount over the evolving situation in Iran, leaving several Indian students, particularly those from Jammu and Kashmir, in a dilemma where they desire to return home but remain grounded by their upcoming examinations scheduled for March.

A large number of these students are enrolled in medical programmes at universities across Iran, and their institutions have not announced any postponement despite the prevailing uncertainty, placing them in a difficult position as they must either stay back to complete their exams or return to India and risk losing an academic year.

In its appeal, AIMSA has requested that the Government of India engage with Iranian authorities and universities to explore the possibility of postponing examinations so that students who wish to return home can do so without jeopardising their studies.

Confirming the ground reality, Bilal Bhat, an Indian student currently studying in Iran, told ANI over Zoom that anxiety levels among students have increased in recent weeks.

"We want to come back home. Our families are worried. But our exams are scheduled in March and there is no clarity on postponement. If we miss exams, it will affect our academic year," he said. He added that while day-to-day life continues and flights are still operating, uncertainty about how the situation may unfold has left many students and their families concerned.

Another student, Musafid, shared similar apprehensions, stating that they are constantly monitoring the situation. "Flights are operational, but we don't know what may happen next. Our only concern is safety and our studies," he said, highlighting the dilemma faced by many pursuing professional degrees abroad.

As families of students back home also closely watch developments in hopes of clarity, many students remain in a wait-and-watch mode, balancing academic responsibilities with concerns about safety and the uncertainty surrounding the broader situation.

- ANI