Here’s Why 700 Indian Students Who Can’t Travel To Germany Are Asking For Sushma Swaraj’s Help

As many as 700 students from India who have got admission into various German universities to pursue post-graduate courses run the risk of losing a precious academic year or even have their admission cancelled as there are no slots available at German Consulate in Mumbai to seek a visa in time.

For the last two months, the students have been on edge and tenterhooks as they are unable to get slots, mainly because of the huge rush and no additional arrangements made at the German Consulate in Mumbai for the visa interview. Desperate students have sought the intervention of union external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj for help.

Scores of students have taken to Twitter practically urging every authority both in the country and in Germany to facilitate them get visa slots. The urgency is that by October 1 they have to report at the various universities in Germany as a fresh academic year begins.

The problem is mainly at the German consulate in Mumbai. “We have friends across other consulates and they are doing quite fine. No one is facing a problem. It is the problem in Mumbai only,” a student Shreyas Gulhane told TOI. Visas are also given at Bengaluru, Chennai, New Delhi and Kolkata. Students by stipulation based on their place of residence have to approach the nearest consulate for visa. While those who have applied in other cities do not have a problem, it is only in Mumbai that the concern has arisen.

Students are waiting for their turn to get a slot in Mumbai are facing many issues. A student Archana, said some students had taken loans and have shown 8640 Euros in their bank accounts while seeking admission. According to Surbhi Khushu, in some universities students would already have been paid accommodation expenses as they have already got confirmation about their admission. “Everybody’s goal to pursue the course of their choice in German is at stake.

Students have already paid fee for their admission in universities which had asked for the fee to be deposited,” another student Dishant Nayak said. Vikrant, another student said in his case, the admission was finalized on July 28 and the same day the visa process was initiated.

In Samarth’s case, his admission was finalized as far back as on June 26 itself. “I initiated the visa proceedings on June 29 morning itself,” he said. Samarth got admission into Hochschule Bremerhaven for Masters in process engineering and energy technology. Till today, he has not got a visa slot to apply for a visa to travel to Germany.

Some of the other many universities that the students have got admission into are Hof University of applied science, Tehcnische Hochschule insgolstadt, University of Freiburg, HTW Berlin, Germany, Hamburg University of Applied Science.

As time is at a premium, and their chances of getting a visa slot so slim, students who have been working on their admissions into German universities for the last one year are now a worried lot. A student Patel Parth said the university he has not admission does not allow enrolment after September 27. “Our careers are at stake,” said Kevil Kohandwala urging the PMO also to intervene in getting visa slots.