UK universities reaches to Indian students for Coronavirus support

UK universities have urged distressed Indian students, whether still in Britain or in India, to get in touch with their varsity support services if they need help or guidance during the coronavirus related lockdown.

On Monday, the Indian government announced plans to begin phased repatriation of its citizens stranded abroad from May 7.

Air India will operate 64 flights from May 7 to May 13 to bring back around 15,000 Indian nationals stranded abroad amid the COVID-19-induced lockdown, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said in New Delhi on Tuesday.

As the Indian government's first period of repatriations from the UK to India starts from Thursday, numerous Indian understudies in the UK still face a long hold up before they can fly home. The UK colleges said they needed them to realize that the help keeps on being accessible. 

"We know that numerous Indian understudies are worried about cash and convenience, are feeling the loss of their families and are naturally upset to be a long way from home during this worldwide pandemic. My message to those understudies is: if it's not too much trouble please address your college," said Vivienne Stern, Director of Universities UK worldwide, which speaks to 143 UK college pioneers. 

"We will most likely be unable to fix everything, except there are individuals available who will do all that they can to make things simpler for you. 

Colleges are offering help through financing, nourishment, settlement and counsel and direction. We are in this together, if you don't mind try not to battle alone," she said. 

Colleges UK said that help offered by colleges incorporates conveying nourishment to understudies, giving hardship assets to understudies in money related trouble, postponing convenience expenses or moving worldwide understudies into settlement where they can take care of them by giving cleaning, security and providing food. Colleges are likewise giving peaceful and psychological wellness support.

Jaspreet Singh, an Indian student at Birmingham City University (BCU), had some advice for his fellow BCU students: "I know being an international student how worried our parents can be. I send them regular updates and say I'm safe here. Make sure you are in touch with your



lecturers and the amazing support team which BCU has got – make sure you use them."

Universities UK also highlighted a range of specific steps taken by a snapshot of universities around the UK to support international students who may feel stranded as a result of the coronavirus crisis and need support.

The University of Bath has moved all students in university owned accommodation around the city into campus accommodation and is providing three free meals a day to all students who remain on campus. It has also enhanced the availability of financial assistance to students who find themselves in hardship.

Glasgow Caledonian University in Scotland has implemented a dedicated helpline for students, which operates seven days a week, and has introduced a fund to support students through the COVID-19 crisis as well as waived rent for April and May. Solent University and the University of Bangor have been supporting students stuck in the UK to access hardship funding.

Indians make up one of the largest groups of international students from outside the European Union (EU) studying at universities in Britain, after Chinese students. Thousands of these Indian students have found themselves stranded as India imposed a ban on international flights in the middle of March.

Indian students' representative groups such as the National Indian Students and Alumni Union UK (NISAU-UK) and Indian National Students Association (INSA) have issued advisories and have been organising food deliveries and other assistance through the lockdown.

The UK Home Office had confirmed that any foreign students or professionals on visas that had expired or expiring would be given an extension at least until May 31. Many of the stranded students, from different parts of India including Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, 

Maharashtra and Uttarakhand, expressed their relief at that extension but remain concerned about the limited resources at their disposal.

A ticket on one of the initial seven Air India repatriation flights organised by the Indian government are set to cost around ?50,000, which combined with the cost of quarantine to be borne by the passenger on landing in India, is a new cause for worry among this group as they await their turn to be flown back to India.