Students ask to defer fees to help India relatives

India has seen hospitals overwhelmed and shortages of oxygen as the country is hit by a second wave of infections

A group of Indian students are asking their university to defer fees so the money can be used to help family back home overwhelmed by Covid-19.

A devastating second wave of infections in India has seen hospitals overwhelmed and shortages of oxygen and medicines.

The Cardiff Metropolitan University students said they felt "helpless" and "panicked" watching from the UK.

The university said it could not comment on individual cases but would continue to support students.

Several students who spoke to BBC Wales said they owed thousands of pounds in fees by the end of this month, which their families could no longer afford to pay.

They said they wanted to be able to use any immediate cash to help their families with medical supplies and food.

"A few months back I lost my dad to the Covid situation," said Kylash Indla, who is studying data science.

"Mum was a teacher and dad was a doctor," he explained.

"After the passing of dad, my mum is now not getting any wages. She was a private teacher, so she is now not getting any wages and there is no funding for my family.

"Everything is shut down, there is no income source, there is nothing."

Mr Indla said he felt family members in India did not want to burden him with how bad things had become, but he had heard of some relatives dying due to problems with oxygen supplies.

'Fear of going out'

He said his biggest fear was his mother and sister had nobody else to turn to for help.

"In my home town they are getting more than 1,000 cases a day," he said.

"My mum has a real fear about going out. If they have money in the bank then they can eat, but the fear is that nobody is helping them.

"I tried to request my college to allow some more time for me - but unfortunately I don't know what to do. My payment deadline is coming.

"If Mum is not getting money right now then I need to send money. I don't know where to get it, but I know I need to send it."

Students said they had asked the university to delay fees by at least three months, but many appeals had already been rejected.

Mahendra Pulivarthi: "We are not able to help them even though we have some money"

Mahendra Pulivarthi, who is studying for a master's degree in food science, said many Indian students felt powerless.

"If the university provided me with an extension then the money my family have right now could be used for medical supplies and extra care for them," he said.

"They are in need right now.

"We can't even predict how bad [the situation] is.

"We are not able to help them even though we have some money. If the university provides an extension then I can send that money to my family. At this moment they need money and we are helpless."

Many students said their families' businesses had been shut down and they believed more money would be available to pay for the fees later in the year.

"Our families are suffering back there," says Nithi

Nithi, who is also studying for her master's degree, said her request for a payment holiday had been declined - but she hoped the university would consider a joint appeal from students.

"Our families are suffering back there, so it's already a mental stress on us," she said.

"We do intend to pay, but we can't afford to pay immediately.

"The university knows the situation back in India, all the financial institutions are crashing right now."

India has confirmed more than 17 million infections and 197,000 deaths.

Virologists have said they expect the rate of infections to continue to increase for another two to three weeks.

Harish Kumar Anantula: We cannot concentrate on our studies"

"At this point in time we cannot ask our parents to send money," said MBA student Harish Kumar Anantula, who has helped organise appeals to the university.

"My aunt was affected by Covid-19 and as of now she's in the oxygen stage.

"With all this news we are getting panicked - and we cannot concentrate on our studies."

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Cardiff Met, which has the highest Indian student numbers in Wales, said it would encourage students experiencing difficulties to make contact as early as possible.

A spokesperson for the university said it could not comment on individual cases but urged students with financial worries to get in contact.

"The health and wellbeing of our students has been our top priority from the outset of the coronavirus pandemic," they said.

"Since news emerged from India, our Global Engagement team has worked tirelessly to support students here in Cardiff as well as those studying from a distance, offering a range of confidential support services and advice on the hardship funds available."