Indian Students Lured to Moldova by Cheap Studies, Stranded by COVID-19

"We are trying all ways to go back to India, but there is no positive reply," said a second-year student who gave his name as Vishnu. "We are not sure about how long we should stay here as our families and friends are worried about us staying here during this crisis."

"As India is also a victim of the COVID-19 and the number of cases increases day by day the Indian Government asked us to stay in Moldova until there is good news," he told BIRN, but expressed concern at the fact roughly half of the Indian students are housed in the university dorm.

Parents plead for students' return

In early April, the parents of the students asked the New Delhi authorities to allow their children to return; the Indian Embassy in Romania, which covers also neighbouring Moldova, compiled a list of those students who wish to fly back, but, according to another student called Nasarulla Nasarudeen, the embassy told them it would be better to stay given the rate of spread of the virus in India.

The Indian Embassy in the Romanian capital, Bucharest, could not be reached for comment.

As of April 24, India had 23,452 confirmed cases and 723 fatalities. Experts say India's population of 1.3 billion and large economic, social and healthcare disparities pose a unique challenge in confronting the coronavirus. Moldova, a former Soviet republic of some 3.5 million people, has confirmed just over 2,900 cases and 84 deaths

The Indian students in the classroom of the USMF „Nicolae Testemitanu". Photo: USMF Facebook page

The Indian Supreme Court ruled on April 21 that it cannot force the central authorities to allow the return of the stranded students, Indian media reported. Indian students in the United States and Britain are in a...