The ongoing vaccine scenario in India and how it affects study abroad aspirants

The 12th standard exams have been postponed/cancelled. Study abroad admissions have moved completely online and universities are mandating vaccinations. Further, due to the travel bans, Indian students have been in a tight spot for the past few months. During the growing uncertainty surrounding higher education in other countries, this is where India stands:

The current education scenario in India

For a large span of 2019 and the entirety of 2020-2021, Indian students at all education levels have been studying virtually without a definite end in sight. For secondary education students, this matter finally came to a culmination. The Central Education Board (CBSE), cancelled their class 12th examinations for the year 2021. In the same vein, several state boards; Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Goa, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and others; have also decided to cancel the class 12th examinations. Instead, the respective governments have decided to set well-defined objective criteria in place to evaluate the students who seem to be facing this uncertain future.

The official Indian government’s verdict cited that the decision ensured student safety during COVID-19. However, this development puts a wrench in many students’ plans to pursue higher education abroad. The fear remains that universities worldwide might not entirely accept the uniquely evaluated class 12th scores. However, students need to know that universities worldwide are facing all measures of challenges regarding documentation and scores from international students. As a result, as soon as the Indian government decrees a concrete solution pan India, students can expect to receive clarity from institutions worldwide.

COVID-19 vaccination a deal-breaker for students

In the world’s fight against COVID-19, vaccination is a tough weapon. To ensure safe travel and educational experience for all, universities worldwide especially in the US and the UK, have mandated that the students joining their institutions in Fall 2021 be fully vaccinated. This list includes some of the top names like Columbia University, Northwestern University, MIT, NYU, etc.

However, there' a shortage of vaccines in India for the past few months. Thus, the age brackets of 18-44 year-olds are only now getting the chance to get their first vaccinations. Currently, the Indian government has approved 3 different COVID vaccines. Covishield created by the Oxford-AstraZeneca; Covaxin made by Bharat Biotech; and Russia’s Sputnik V. Out of these, only Covishield has been approved by the WHO. This makes it a natural choice for study abroad aspirants.

All 3 of the vaccinations need 2 separate doses for effectiveness. However, the gap between the 2 doses for Covishield is 84 days as opposed to the 20-odd days required for Covaxin and Sputnik V.

Indian government’s aid for study abroad aspirants

Not all study abroad aspirants have been able to get their first doses in time. As a result, those opting for Covishield may not qualify for the second jab of the vaccine; especially before they travel in August-September 2021. To aid students stuck in this quandary, many Indian state governments issued new rules. It will give vaccination priority to students going overseas for higher education to ensure their safety during travel.

The Maharashtra government has dedicated 3 vaccination centres to provide free, walk-in vaccination appointments to international students with valid admission documents from universities overseas. Students must also note that the Indian Government, for Indians travelling to study abroad, work, or go to the Olympic Games, has reduced the 84-days gap to 28-days for Covishield.

News on travel bans and visa appointments

Due to the rising COVID-cases, India has been facing a travel ban on most of the countries like the USA, the UK, Australia, and Canada. All of these happen to be the top study abroad destinations. They have, therefore, caused problems for international students who wished to study abroad. The good news, however, is that due to the reducing cases in India, countries have started their visa processing services.

The USA government has declared that they plan on taking visa appointments for students in India for the period of July and August 2021. The official statement from the embassy stated, “The US we will open limited July and August student visa appointments across India. Students may visit our website, to view availability and schedule an appointment.”

This news, coupled with the updates regarding student travel and COVID-19 vaccination indicates that positive change is definitely on the horizon.