Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], January 25 (ANI): The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) on Sunday has written to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) seeking immediate intervention in view of the increasingly precarious situation faced by Indian students pursuing medical education in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The Association highlighted a convergence of serious concerns, including the continued withholding of students' passports by university authorities, coercive academic practices amid an unfolding crisis, and rapidly escalating regional and geopolitical tensions, which have together left Indian students anxious, stranded, and vulnerable.

In its letter addressed to the External Affairs Minister, the Association stated that Indian students, a majority of whom are from Kashmir, have informed the Association's Iran Chapter that the prolonged closure of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, coupled with the persistent failure of university authorities to return students' passports, has effectively immobilised them.

Despite their clear willingness to return home, students remain unable to do so due to the continued withholding of passports, triggering acute psychological distress and deep anxiety among families in India who are closely monitoring the deteriorating security situation.

National Convenor of the Association, Nasir Khuehami, said that for several days, the university authorities have avoided responsibility and delayed the return of passports, leaving students stranded against their will. He described this as a 'careless and indifferent handling' of a serious humanitarian concern, particularly alarming at a time marked by instability and crisis. Students, he added, have conveyed that repeated representations and assurances have elicited neither urgency nor sensitivity from the authorities.

Khuehami further stated that the gravity of the situation must be viewed against the backdrop of rapidly escalating regional and geopolitical tensions widely reported in Indian and international media. Developments such as the movement of US warships towards the region, public warnings by senior Iranian officials that any attack would be treated as an 'all-out war,' internal unrest, communication disruptions, heightened military preparedness, and sharp rhetoric between global powers have collectively created an atmosphere of uncertainty and unpredictability. While official statements may project preparedness, the Association cautioned that the fluid and volatile nature of the situation and the possibility of sudden escalation cannot be discounted, particularly from the standpoint of Indian nationals residing in the country.

Amid this climate of uncertainty, the Association flagged an additional and deeply troubling concern. Indian students, including those from Kashmir, have informed JKSA that Iran University of Medical Sciences, along with Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, is continuing with scheduled semester examinations.

This stands in sharp contrast to the approach adopted by a majority of universities across Iran, which have postponed academic activities and semester examinations until at least 24 March in recognition of the prevailing instability and extraordinary circumstances.

Requiring foreign students, many of whom are under intense mental stress, facing mobility restrictions due to passport withholding, and living with constant fear of sudden escalation to appear for examinations under such conditions, the Association said, is neither reasonable nor humane. This rigid academic stance has further compounded distress and placed students in an impossible position, forcing them to choose between academic compliance and personal safety.

Taken together, the Association stated, the withholding of passports, lack of institutional accountability, insistence on conducting examinations amid crisis, and the broader regional instability have created a situation in which Indian students feel abandoned, distressed, and deeply insecure. The inability to leave the country despite clear intent, combined with academic pressure and geopolitical uncertainty, has led to severe emotional and psychological strain among students.

Khuehami urged the MEA to intervene immediately by taking up the matter with the concerned Iranian authorities, the Embassy of India, Tehran, and the university administrations to ensure that Indian students' passports are returned without further delay and their freedom of movement is restored.

The Association has also requested that the Ministry, in coordination with the Indian Embassy in Tehran, address the issue of academic coercion and seek appropriate relief for Indian students, including the postponement of examinations and flexibility in academic requirements in line with Iran's broader national academic response.

Given the volatile regional situation, JKSA further urged that contingency planning be actively considered and kept ready, including evacuation measures, should the security environment deteriorate further.

Students cannot be left trapped between institutional apathy and geopolitical uncertainty. Restoring their freedom of movement, easing academic pressure, and ensuring preparedness for any escalation are immediate imperatives,' he added further. (ANI)