India has announced 1,000 scholarships for Afghan nationals wishing to pursue undergraduate and postgraduate courses online from Indian universities for 2024/25.

The scholarships, which will cover the tuition fees of Afghan students, are not applicable for stipends or other dues. But students are skeptical that they will make a real difference.

The development comes after multiple reports suggested that there have been delays in the disbursement of scholarships by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, which announces 3,900 scholarships to international students from over 180 countries every academic year. 

“People don’t even have proper internet access in Afghanistan so they would not be able to access online classes, especially in the suburbs,” said Karimullah Karim, who was an MSC student at Osmania University in Hyderabad. 

Once home to over 13,000 Afghan students, India has been a major education destination for students from the region in recent years due to its proximity, quality of education, and lower cost. 

But the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021 led to the Ministry of External Affairs in India cancelling all existing visas for Afghan nationals, many of whom were students studying in Indian universities. 

Due to Covid-induced closures in 2021, many of the students had travelled back to Afghanistan and were attending online classes when the Taliban formed its government in the country. 

“The recent online scholarships are just a political action, if India really wanted to help students it shouldn’t have cancelled their study visas. Over 2,000 students are still waiting on resumption of their studies in India and many of them have spent over USD$280,000 and still, there’s no result,” said Noor Ilhas, who was pursuing his education at an Indian university but was never able to complete his course due to the institution going back to in-person lectures permanently. 

India has traditionally been one of the largest providers of humanitarian and reconstruction aid to Afghanistan, with the former being involved in multiple projects in the landlocked nation. 

The recent online scholarships are just a political action, if India really wanted to help students it shouldn’t have cancelled their study visas.

Noor Ilhas, ex international student in India

But the goodwill is fading among Afghan students, who are now heading to alternative destinations such as Pakistan, Turkey, Iran, Bangladesh, and other Central Asian countries to pursue their education and a safe haven. 

“I graduated from KIIT University in India with a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Engineering but was not able to seek post-graduation due to delays from ICCR on scholarships and India’s visa policy,” said Bahram Khan, a Kabul resident. 

“Now I have a scholarship for Masters in Data Science from Nazarbayev University in Kazakhstan, and will be leaving Afghanistan in two weeks. India’s new scholarships are good but they are online and won’t help with visas.”

According to Mahnaz Hajizada, who pursued her MBA from India, the scholarships could be beneficial for female students in Afghanistan who have been grappling with a university ban in the country. 

“It is a good chance for female students looking for opportunities to gain knowledge and experience and become educated,” Hajizada told The PIE News while talking about the new scholarships offered by the Indian administration. 

The scholarships will be offered through the e-Vidya Bharati Network, accessible at the e-VB portal: ilearn.gov.in.