Shashank, A Masters Student From London On UK's Unfair Quarantine Rules For Indian Students

Many students in India dream of going abroad for higher studies. And when they hear the news of that all-important admission, it is celebration time. For journalism graduate, 24-year-old Shashank Kumar, his admission into a good college in the UK in April was a source of joy. After his bachelor's in Chennai, he has been looking forward to international exposure for his course in politics and contemporary history.

Shashank tells NDTV,

Studying abroad was something I have wanted to do for a long time. My dad was in defence so I have been around the country. Going out of the country was a newer experience. I have always looked forward to it. 

But studying abroad is not cheap. And with Shashank's father having recently retired from the Air Force - financial planning was needed for the travel, stay and course.

My family is going to support me and I am also going to be taking an education loan, says Shashank, about his financial planning.

And then an unexpected expense surfaced. Compulsory quarantine of two weeks in a UK institution, that doesn't come cheap. Shashank says,

Already going abroad, studying in the UK is somewhat of an expensive affair. Added to that, India is on the red list and having to travel to the UK. And quarantining in an institution is almost about 1750 pounds for those 10 days. It comes as a shocker that you have to shell out so much just for the 10 day period of quarantine.

Shashank's mother tells NDTV,

It was quite a surprise because this college was something we really wanted him to get into it. We were not really sure, because this was one of the courses that were in high demand so I was thrilled that he got into it. But the quarantine rules came as a shock because it is very expensive to pay for your child to quarantine. Right now my son may have to spend 2 months' worth of boarding and lodging money over a period of ten days. For me, financially, it all just leads to that.

Shashank's father, Air Cmde G Krishnakumar (Retd), who recently retired from the Air Force, says that such an additional expenditure is not something everybody can afford. He said,

This quarantine cost is really high for some of the countries like India, a country which sends plenty of students abroad. Now, this is an added expenditure of around Rs 2 Lakh which we have to incur. For any middle-class parent, it is an additional expenditure. It is pretty costly because I recently retired from the Air Force. Had it been a couple of years back I could have funded him a little more comfortably. But we are taking an education loan and partially I am financing the thing.

Shashank's mother further says that they are hoping for a change in policy so that Indian students don't bear the brunt of an unequal approach to the same vaccine. For now though, for Shashank and his family, and for so many other students, their dreams have just become more expensive. Even the process of quarantine in an unknown nation is something that makes Shashank nervous. He said,

The process of quarantining for ten days is kind of daunting for me. You hear about other people quarantining and that itself is daunting. But when it hits you and you realise you have to undergo the same thing, the prospect of being locked inside for ten days without any touch to the outside world. Now that I am hearing about the problems being faced by others, it is really daunting. I understand that there are these protocols in place because of COVID-19, but then again we have made sure we get the double dose of the same vaccine as people from other countries are, I don't see why the country is lenient towards them if we are all following the same protocols, he signed out.