University of Delhi: The country has been in a state of lockdown for more than 4 months now. The international flights have been suspended till August 31 albeit the lockdown is being lifted in phases. Some students were able to vacate their rented PGs, apartments, hostels, etc. But the students living in the distant parts and foreign countries are stuck in their hometowns because of the travelling hazards, inflated fares, etc.
Many students have lost their job and internships, etc during this period because of the lockdown, the delay in the final year examinations, etc. Their parents’ business, jobs, etc have suffered because of the pandemic and the subsequent lockdown. This has rendered them unable to pay the rents and other essential bills.
The international students are bearing the brunt of the situation in normative ways because of the restrictions imposed on the foreign passengers. Therefore, the students, who went back to their native countries for the mid-semester break, see no respite from the crisis.
After the lockdown had commenced in late March, the government of Arvind Kejriwal provided relief to the tenants of Delhi by asking the landlords to not force them to pay the rents for the next 2-3 months. Mr Kejriwal also ensured the tenants that his government would pay their rents if they failed to do so. But this period of respite has already terminated. In many incidents across the National Capital, the student-tenants have complaint of threats, extortion from the landlords.
Furthermore, for the international students stuck in India, the process of evacuating the citizens from India depends on the individual foreign government. Some governments were not quick to act because of the low number of Covid-19 cases in India in March and April. Now the students are paying hefty mental and financial prices due to this overlook.
In a global health crisis that has crippled the healthcare and the economy of the country, the students are looking toward the governments for relief.
