How Corona Is Ruining Study Abroad Plans

Indian students who bagged admissions to top foreign universities now compelled to delay travel indefinitely and make do with e-classes

- Shashank Shekhar and Gulam Jeelani

Bagging a post-graduate seat in one of the top universities in Singapore was nothing short of a dream coming true for Noida-based engineer Priyadarshi Singh. But with the world in the grip of a raging pandemic, Singh, 24 may be compelled to skip taking admission this year. “I’ve made it to a top university in Singapore, but have decided to postpone the July intake in the light of the pandemic. I’ll wait and see how the situation pans out,” Singh told Mail Today.

He isn’t the only one whose dream to study overseas has been shattered by Covid-19. Janakpuri resident Pranshu Kumar, 21, got admission into a post-graduate course in International Football Business at the University of Brussels for which he even took a loan of Rs 15 lakh. “The course begins in September for which I have to pay the fee by July 31, so I will wait and watch. If the situation improves, I will take admission. Or else I’ll wait for another year,” Pranshu said. “Universities may offer courses over the Web, but just online lessons may not be enough, particularly for technical and practical courses. I will end up shelling out close to Rs 25 lakh including fees and lodging. We are paying our hard-earned life savings for the global exposure that these universities promise – not just for online classes,” he added.

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