Amid the ongoing war between Iran, Israel, and the United States, media discourse has become saturated with the language of warfare. Missiles, oil prices, and the Strait of Hormuz dominate headlines. Yet, another critical issue remains underrepresented: the academic cost of war.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), around 9,000 Indian nationals are currently in Iran. While there is no official data breakdown for students, estimates suggest that between 1,000 and 2,000 are from Jammu and Kashmir alone, most enrolled in medical programmes due to relatively lower costs and limited seats in India.
As of today, most Indian students have been evacuated from Iran via neighbouring countries, as Iranian airspace remains closed. However, around 126 students remain stranded at border points.
Of these, 84 are stuck at the Iran-Azerbaijan border in Astara, where authorities are allowing only 10 students to cross each day. The remaining students are at the Iran-Armenia border, where travel plans continue to fall through due to repeated ticket cancellations.
The slow pace of evacuation has created a backlog, leaving students waiting with little clarity on when they will be allowed to move.
Vice President of the All India Medical Students Association (AIMSA), Dr Mohammed Momin Khan, describes the situation on the ground: “Indian students continue to remain stranded in Iran as exit codes are being issued very slowly, only 6 to 10 students per day are evacuated. Many students have already lost their flight tickets and have wasted the 10,000 rupees visa fee they paid. With little clarity on travel timelines, anxiety is rising by the day.”
A similar situation unfolded last year during the 12-day war between Iran and Israel. At the time, many Indian medical students were moved to safe houses and eventually evacuated to India. Students later returned to Iran, expecting improved conditions and a return to academic normality. Instead, they faced a worsening situation marked by a currency crisis, followed by renewed war.
Speaking to EdexLive, fourth-year medical student Ahnaf Ishaq from Shahid Beheshti University describes the situation as a “rupture” in medical education.
“While universities may eventually adjust the curriculum and compensate for lost time, we are missing critical hands-on training in hospitals. Classes briefly shifted online, but even that was disrupted due to internet issues. Medicine is continuity-based. When you miss clinical exposure, the quality of training suffers.”
He adds, “The unpredictability of the situation is the main concern. Even if the war ends and we return, what happens if another conflict breaks out? Our lives would be stuck in a continuum. At the same time, we cannot transfer to India and continue our education due to National Medical Council (NMC) regulations.”
Context: The issue stems from the National Medical Council (NMC) guidelines governing foreign medical graduates (FMGs). Under current regulations, Indian students pursuing medical education abroad are required to complete their entire course, including clinical training and internship, at the same foreign institution to be eligible for licensure in India. Mid-course transfers to Indian colleges are not permitted, even in cases of war or disruption.
Another student, Faysal Sheikh, highlights the emotional toll, saying “You decide to pursue medical education from a different country due to low cost, but no one speaks about the emotional cost. This is a generation of students stuck in academic limbo due to forces beyond their control.”
Faysal left Iran following United States and Israeli strikes on Iranian cities, dubbed “Operation Epic Fury” and “Operation Roaring Lion,” which targeted strategic infrastructure and killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei along with several senior Iranian officials, permanently altering the region’s political and security landscape.
For students who escaped a war-hit Iran, home offers safety and comfort. But stability ends there. Their education remains interrupted, and their futures continue to hang in limbo. And for those still stranded at border points, uncertainty defines each day.
The academic and emotional cost of war is too heavy to ignore.
