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| Fear, sirens, sleepless nights: Kashmiri students stranded in war-hit Iran | | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Mar 1: Hundreds of medical students from Jammu and Kashmir stranded in Iran are gripped by fear and uncertainty as the country faces intense aerial strikes by the United States and Israel.
A large number of students, particularly from the Kashmir Valley, remain stuck in conflict-affected cities, anxiously seeking evacuation even as their families back home grow increasingly distressed. Despite earlier advisories from Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah urging students to leave Iran, many chose to stay back due to ongoing examinations.
Drawn to Iran for its comparatively affordable medical education, these students now find themselves caught in the middle of a rapidly escalating conflict.
The unfolding crisis has not only disrupted students’ lives but has also impacted Srinagar-based career consultancies that facilitate admissions to Iranian universities.
One Kashmiri student stranded in Iran sent a desperate message: “Our embassy has no plans to evacuate us from this literal hell. The bombardment started at midnight and continued till 4 am. What is the government doing?”
Students in major Iranian cities, including Tehran, Isfahan, Shiraz, and Qom, have described sleepless nights punctuated by missile sirens and repeated explosions. “We have no way out. Borders are closed and flights are grounded. Our families are panicking, and we are terrified,” another student said.
According to data from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), around 2,050 Indian students are currently pursuing medical education in Iran, a significant number of whom belong to Jammu and Kashmir. Kashmiri students have traditionally opted for Iranian universities, particularly reputed institutions such as Tehran University of Medical Sciences and Shahid Beheshti University, known for offering relatively affordable courses and reserved seats under special quotas commonly referred to as the “pargees quota.”
Officials said many students from the Valley travel to Iran primarily to pursue courses in medicine and engineering. Education experts attribute this trend to comparatively lower tuition fees, relatively simpler admission procedures, and the availability of reserved seats for Kashmiri students under special quotas. For many middle-class families, Iranian universities offer a more viable alternative to expensive private medical colleges in India or institutions in Europe and Central Asia.
Beyond economic considerations, Kashmir’s long-standing cultural and religious ties with Iran also influence students’ decisions. Iran remains an important centre of Shia religious learning and a popular destination for pilgrimage among Indian Shias. These social and cultural connections often make families perceive Iran as a familiar and comfortable environment for their children, particularly daughters pursuing higher education.
However, the current geopolitical turmoil has reignited concerns over the safety and long-term academic prospects of foreign students in the country. Recurrent protests, strict social regulations, and periodic internet shutdowns have already affected daily life in recent years. The latest escalation has further heightened security risks.
Parents across Kashmir have expressed deep anxiety over their children’s well-being, with many appealing to both the Union Government and the Union Territory administration to ensure regular communication, safety assurances, and immediate contingency plans for evacuation if the situation deteriorates further. |
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