LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION No- 786
ANSWERED ON - 26.07.2023
DEATH OF INDIAN STUDENTS ABROAD
786. SHRI KODIKUNNIL SURESH
Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state :-
(a) the details of Indian students pursuing their education from various higher education institutes who have died abroad from 2019 onwards, country- wise along with the reasons therefor;
(b) whether the Government has initiated any steps to ensure the safety and well-being of Indian students studying abroad; and
(c) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
(SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)
(a) As per the information available with the Ministry, 633 incidents of death of Indian students abroad have been reported in the last five years due to various reasons including natural causes, accidents and medical conditions. Country- wise details of death of Indian students abroad is placed at ‘Annexure-A’.
(b & c) Providing safety and security to Indian students abroad is one of the top most priorities of the Government of India. Indian Missions/Posts abroad maintain regular contacts with Indian students enrolled in Universities abroad. This commences as soon as the new Indian students, enrolled in foreign Universities, are invited to participate in Welcome Ceremony organised by Indian Missions/Posts abroad. Heads of Indian Missions/Posts organise Orientation Programmes and brief them on challenges and threats, if any, that they may confront during their stay in the foreign lands and how to take counter active measures. Heads of Indian Missions/Posts and other senior Embassy officials also visit foreign Universities and Educational Institutions in their respective countries of accreditation to regularly interact with Indian students and Indian Students’ Associations.
Indian Missions/Posts abroad also encourage Indian students travelling abroad for higher studies to register with them as also on the MADAD Portal so that their grievances and outstanding issues can be addressed in a time bound manner. Indian Missions/Posts abroad encourage Indian students to remain connected on a regular basis and make all possible efforts to respond to the outstanding issues faced by them on a priority basis. The grievances of the students are responded to almost on a real time basis through telephone calls, walk-ins, emails, social media, 24x7 emergency helplines, open houses and the MADAD Portal. Any complaint received from the Indian students abroad are taken up with the concerned University/Institution and the host Government, as the case may be for requisite action.
Cases of untoward incidents are immediately taken up by the Indian Missions/Posts abroad with the concerned authorities of the host country to ensure that they are properly investigated and the perpetrators are punished. During emergencies or crisis situations, Indian Missions/Posts abroad pro-actively help distressed/stranded Indian students overseas by providing them food, shelter, medicines and ensure their return/evacuation to India as soon as possible. Most recently, stranded Indian students were evacuated to India through the Vande Bharat Mission, Operation Ganga and Operation Ajay from countries around the world.
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