The India Story | Canada visa delays leave Indian students in the lurch

August is an exciting month for new students, especially those who are going abroad. Universities normally start their terms in September, so students are moving to a new country and starting their new lives. But for Indian students looking to study in Canada, the excitement has been dampened by delays in their visas.

Thousands of students, who have enrolled in top Canadian universities, are unable to meet the start dates for their courses. Some of these students have already paid their course fees, around ₹40 - 50 lakh, and a few months of accommodation fees as well.

Universities have also not allowed these students to start online classes until their visas come in, something which they've allowed in 2021 and 2020. The only option now for students, it seems, is to defer admission, and lose out on a year.

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Can anything be done to help these students? Should prospective students re-think plans to study in Canada? On this episode of The India Story, Vikram Chandra discusses with experts.

We also look at Indian-origin Salman Rushdie's tryst with controversy over his infamous novel 'The Satanic Verses'.

Watch The India Story with Vikram Chandra, Fridays at 8PM.