Foreigners who come to India to study could be broadly classified into three categories:
(i) Those on a student exchange programme;
(ii) those seeking specialisation in a discipline that relates to India; and
(iii) those who fund their studies.
Students who belong to the first category are generally governed by rules set by the Indian Council for Social Sciences Research (ICSSR). The ICSSR awards scholarships to foreign nationals studying in India, and is effectively their `guardian' for the entire duration of their stay. The scholarships offered to them include the payment of the tution fee and an allowance that takes care of their maintenance, amounting to Rs 2,000 per month.

More often, than not, foreign students have to supplement this amount by their own means, as it proves inadequate in a city like Delhi or Mumbai.When compared to the proposed hike of UGC/JRF/CSIR scholarships from Rs 2,500 to Rs 5,500 per month, there is a crying need to enhance the `maintenance allowance' of foreign students.

Apart from this, individual universities do not clarify the basic questions that arise about the various programmes offered to them. Seong Mun, an M.Phil student in the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, was articulating his and other friends' problems when he said that during admission time in JNU, foreign students have to pay a fee of $600.

The university on its part does not mention whether the dollar amount should be converted into Indian rupees or not, and during prolonged phases of currency volatility, the exchange rates were not displayed at the university's finance section. The authorities on their part were demanding that particular day's exchange rate and hence, owing to the long registration period, some end up paying more and others less.

The unhelpful attitude of the authoritiescomes to the fore when clarifications sought on these matters, state some students. The problem of language also emerges, which leaves many a foreign student disappointed.

Added to this, is that, of the $ 600 which each student has to pay to the university every semester, $ 100 is marked as `fees for health center.' The health center in JNU, it was pointed out, is patronised by very few foreign students as it does not inspire confidence. A few students feel that if they are not using the health center, they should be refunded the amount they pay as fees.

Scholarship holders from various nations including South Korea, Vietnam, Iran and the Central Asian Republics, who did not want to be named, spoke of their `disappointment' at the nonchalant approach of the ICSSR toward their needs. Students who have newly arrived and require the necessary monetary support have to undergo a game of `wait and see', as regards receiving the scholarship money. More often their queries are met with `come tomorrow' or `nextweek' reply from the concerned authorities.

Fikru, a self funded student from Ethiopia is an M.A. Sociology student from JNU who has been in India for the past seven years. After graduating from Delhi University, he was quite critical of the multiple system prevailing in India that lead to the award of a degree.

He says ``a degree awarded from Delhi University, without credits is only recognised abroad if it has the seal of the Ministry of External Affairs! A degree offered by JNU with credits in that sense is more acceptable, but still requires the seal of the MEA if it is to be accepted/recognised.

Asked about the level of teaching and interaction, most foreign students agree that it is `high' and that it would have a positive impact on them, once they return. What amazes most, is the plethora of rules that they have to adhere to. Even the opening of a bank account involves registering at the local police station and furnishing other documents as proof.

As regards their social life, the mosaiccalled India intrigues most foreign students and becomes a mere comforting thought, than their individual travails. As Fikru says when asked to define India, ``It is a situation which we have to go through.''