A petition with the slogan 'Ease the Loan' has been signed by hundreds of supporters which appeals to the government of India to defer their study loan instalments by a minimum of one year.
Highlights:
- Indian students studying overseas are asking for financial assistance in paying their education loans.
- A petition initiated by some international students in Sydney has been signed by hundreds.
- Reduction in airfares is one of the demands.
Sydney-based Manoj Sheoran, who had arrived in Australia as a student, founded this campaign with the help of many student activists.
He says the international students have made incredible contributions to the development of India and deserve support during the crisis.
"A major chunk of Indian Overseas Students from the past 20 years are coming from rural India to the middle class by availing the education loan facility provided by Indian Banks.
"These students, particularly from rural and small towns, have considerably contributed in the development of India through remittance, knowledge exchange, entrepreneurship, investment and inspiration to their peers back home," Mr Sheoran said.
Manoj Sheoran arrived in Australia as an international student. Presently, he is the president of Indian Overseas Congress in Australia. Source: Supplied
"COVID 19 has changed their world overnight, and they are facing a very hard time to sustain their livelihood & accumulate enough money to pay tuition fees. Their families are equally bearing the brunt of economic crisis and can't support financially."
It is high time to hold their hand in this crisis when they are desperate for support.
The petition demands to defer the loan instalment by a minimum of one year, waive the interest on the loan for a minimum of one year, reduce the current Interest rate for rest of period and reduce international airfares.
Mr Sheoran says many students want to return home in this time of crisis but cannot afford to do so as the airfares are very high.
"The government of India should help these students bring home. Reduced airfares would be a great help," he said.
Many international students work part-time to support their studies and send money back home to pay loans. However, due to lockdown during coronavirus pandemic, many students lost their jobs and faced financial difficulties.
"The hardworking and industrious Indian students once reach abroad start working part-time simultaneously with their studies to meet their ends and start accumulating money to fund the studies and loan instalment of their loans back home. In the wake of pandemic all the businesses and opportunities for part-time work has been hit adversely across the globe," Mr Sheoran explains.
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He hopes to take up the matter with leaders of political parties in India to draw government's attention to this cause.
He says the campaign is global, and apart from Australia, India students from the US, Europe and other parts of the world are joining hands.
One of the signatories of the campaign, Deviprasad Meka says this will provide great relief to all the Indian students who are studying abroad and their families back home during this crisis time.
"Most of them are finding it very difficult to survive and struggling to make ends meet. It would be great if the govt can consider this petition seriously and do the needful as soon as possible," Mr Meka commented.
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