The alleged suicide of a 20-year-old Nepali student at Odisha's KIIT (Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology) University, Bhubaneswar, recently threatened to escalate into a diplomatic fallout. On February 17, more than 500 Nepali students at KIIT, who were protesting their fellow student's death, were reportedly ill-treated and forcibly removed from the campus.
The turmoil nearly turned into a crisis as Nepal's Prime Minister, K.P. Sharma Oli, posted a statement on Facebook about students from Nepal being “forcibly evicted” from their hostels. He later posted on X that the Nepalese embassy had deputed two officials to support the students and requested New Delhi's intervention.
Following intervention from higher authorities, the institution reversed its decision and recalled the students.
At a time when India is striving to counter Chinese influence in the region, is it wise to burn bridges over such incidents and risk alienating a neighbour with deep cultural and historical ties? This situation also raises a critical question about India's policy—or lack thereof—for managing the welfare of foreign students studying and working in the country.
India-Nepal Ties
The unfortunate events triggered significant outrage in Nepal.
The Nepalese government has warned that it will stop issuing No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for students wishing to study in India unless the case is resolved in a “justifiable and legal way". Nepal's National Human Rights Commission has also urged India's NHRC to investigate the student's death, citing allegations of negligence and mistreatment. In response to the incident, Prime Minister Oli called on Nepalese students to consider pursuing higher education in China instead of India.
According to the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE), as many as 46,878 foreign nationals from 170 countries are currently enrolled in Indian institutions. Among them, students from Nepal form the largest group.
Traditionally, Nepali students have preferred India for higher education due to geographical proximity and cultural familiarity. However, incidents like the one at KIIT could push them—and students from other nations—towards alternative destinations, particularly China.
India has long been a hub for aspiring leaders from neighbouring countries. Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi, Bhutan's King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, its Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, and Afghanistan's former President, Hamid Karzai, are among those who have studied here. Even Baburam Bhattarai, Nepal's former Prime Minister, pursued his education in India. Institutions such as Banaras Hindu University, Allahabad University, Patna University, Lucknow University, Calcutta University, and Jawaharlal Nehru University have historically attracted Nepalese students and intellectuals.
This is not the first instance of mistreatment of foreign students in India. Time and again, African students have faced racist assaults and discriminatory treatment. Even within India, students from the Northeast frequently experience prejudice and discrimination.
Stereotyping people based on their region, religion, or culture not only complicates bilateral relations but also leads to unintended political and diplomatic consequences.
Prime Minister Oli's call for Nepalese students to choose China over India marks a strategic shift in Nepal's traditional diplomatic and educational ties with India. His government, led by the Communist Party of Nepal in a coalition, has shown little inclination towards strengthening ties with India. Since taking office last year, he has broken the long-standing custom of Nepalese premiers making their first official visit to India, choosing instead to visit China in December 2024, where he signed the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) framework.
Creating Secure Campuses
India has traditionally been a preferred destination for foreign students due to the affordability and relatively high standards of its education system compared to institutions in the US or Europe. With over 56,000 higher education institutions catering to 40 million students and supported by 1.5 million teachers, India's education sector is among the largest in the world.
However, Indian institutions face significant challenges in meeting global benchmarks, particularly in areas such as research output, industry collaboration, and faculty development.
As part of the Study in India initiative, the Indian government has set an ambitious target of attracting 5 lakh foreign students by 2047. However, short-sighted and insular attitudes—such as those displayed in the handling of the KIIT incident—risk undermining this goal.
India has a unique opportunity to turn foreign students into cultural and educational ambassadors shaping global perceptions of India. But the country needs a robust institutional framework to address the grievances of foreign students. The Indian government's silence on the Odisha incident is concerning. It must step forward to reassure both Nepalese students in India and the people of Nepal that such incidents will not be tolerated in the future.
(The author is Contributing Editor, NDTV)
Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author
