US diktat on ‘online classes’ leaves Bihari students shaken

PATNA: It came as a bolt from the blue for the international students community in the US when the Donald Trump administration announced that those taking online classes at American universities because of the coronavirus pandemic must return to their home countries.
The sudden announcement left students from Bihar pursuing their American dreams stunned, leaving them panicking over whether their visas would be cancelled and they would be deported because they opted for online classes due to the pandemic.
Rivam Raj from Katihar, who is studying astrophysics at the University of California, Berkley, said he would lose his visa if he continues with the online classes. “The Covid situation is not good here and it is impossible to attend classes in person,” he added.
No wonder many of them are now wondering if they should switch to in-person classes. Sanjeet and Vidisha Bharti, who are studying at the University of Utah, are among those exploring this risky in-class option for fear of losing their visa.
However, Nishant from Patna, who is doing his masters in business analytics from Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, told this newspaper that they are waiting for more clarity in the announcement made by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (IEC). “These are all tactics for the upcoming elections in the USA,’ he added, sounding a little less shaky than others.
Utpal Mukherjee, a resident of Boring Road in Patna, whose son Indranil is studying at the American University of Antigua’s College of Medicine was disheartened with the decision to revoke the visas of students attending online classes.
“Kids pursuing degrees in the USA will face two problems under the ICE policy. First, they would be deprived of the study environment of the US, won’t be allowed to utilise the library and other study material. They have to do online classes from native country and they will not be allowed to stay in US,” Utpal said.
He added, “Secondly, students who are going to get some internships in the US will not be able to get it if they are deported to their native places in India.”
Arvind Mishra, whose son Abhishek is doing his PhD at the University of Buffalo, New York, also expressed the same concern. “We are still hoping that the situation would get better as two renowned universities- Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have sued the Trump administration over the order,” he said.
Mishra said he spoke to his son regarding the announcement and the Covid- 19 situation, which is turning worse. “Right now, the institute is conducting online classes,” he said.