In a perfect world that had not heard of COVID, Arjun* would have begun college. He would have come to India from Dubai, right after his board exams to write JEE, for which he has been preparing since 2018. However, things aren't the same anymore. Stuck in limbo, without any backup, he does not think that he will write the entrance examination in September.

While the students in India have been raising their voice against the NTA's decision to conduct the entrance exams amid COVID, the situation looks grimmer for NRI students. With fewer flights, higher airfare, fear of contracting the virus during travel and strict quarantine norms, travelling to India doesn't look like a plausible option for many. While many states have a 28-day mandatory quarantine for international travellers, students who travel on any of these days won't be able to appear for the JEE Mains.

"The pandemic has badly affected the economic situation of many families in the Middle East. Many have lost their jobs and surviving on their savings. My parents are afraid that they may lose their job anytime. At this point, not many can afford expensive Vande Bharat flights to India," says Arjun.

Someone who hails from a middle-class family, Arjun says that writing JEE and studying in an Indian college is his only hope. "I can't get admission  in colleges abroad now since all the admissions are closed. Education in the UAE is an expensive affair, just like the flight fare to India," he says. "The NTA is now playing with the human lives at this point. A pandemic doesn't always occur. They must make exceptions," he adds.