India's recalled High Commissioner to Canada, Sanjay Verma, expressed serious concerns regarding the experiences of Indian students studying in Canada, stating that many are not finding the opportunities they expected after completing their education. Speaking to PTI on Thursday, he highlighted alarming living conditions and academic environments faced by these students.
"Many of our children are not getting what they dreamed of. In fact, I can tell you that eight students are sharing one room for accommodation," Mr Verma said. He further elaborated on the academic challenges, revealing that some students attend colleges where classes are held just once a week. "The entire week, they are forced to work as daily wage earners in stores," he added, emphasising that these students come from good families.
The envoy noted that despite their higher education, many students are resorting to low-paying jobs, often working as cab drivers or in other menial positions.
Mr Verma's comments come in response to growing concerns from parents sending their children abroad for higher education, hoping for better prospects.
Indian students in Canada "should be aware of their surroundings" and resist radicalisation attempts by Khalistani terrorists and extremists, Sanjay Verma told NDTV on Thursday evening. He urged the parents of students in Canada to "please talk to them regularly and try to understand" their situation, and to guide them away from unwise choices.
"At this time in Canada, there is a threat from Khalistani terrorists and extremists to the larger Indian community, including students (of whom there were around 319,000 as of 2023)," he said.
"How this (Khalistani terrorists' outreach to Indian students in Canada) works is that, given the condition of the economy, there are few jobs. Students are offered money and food, and this is how Khalistani terrorists and extremists influence them with nefarious plans," Mr Verma explained to NDTV.
Some students, he said, are also persuaded to take photographs or videos of themselves 'protesting'-shouting anti-India slogans or insulting the flag outside Indian diplomatic buildings in Canada.
"Then they are told to seek asylum, with the justification being, "If I go back to India now, I will be punished.' There have been cases of such students being granted asylum," he said.
