‘Leaving may void our degrees’: Indian students in Iran stranded by exams, refuse to follow evacuation orders

Amid rising hostilities between Israel and Iran, the Indian Embassy in Tehran has issued an urgent advisory to all Indian nationals in Iran – most of whom are students studying abroad – to exercise extreme caution, avoid unnecessary travel and stay home as much as possible. It has urged citizens to monitor news updates, remain vigilant and await further guidance.

As per the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), around 9,000 Indian nationals are currently in Iran – most of them students pursuing medical and other long-term courses. Many have stayed back, citing academic obligations such as important exams, despite repeated warnings, saying they are complicating evacuation efforts.

However, Indian students say it is difficult to leave Iran. Bilal Bhat, an Indian student in Tehran, told ANI, “We have exams on March 5 and 28. The embassy has advised us to leave immediately, but we cannot, as leaving may invalidate our degrees. The situation is tense, and we will leave as soon as our exams are postponed.”

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Musaid, another Indian student, said: "Everything is fine internally, but externally, the situation is tense with talk of war. We have exams scheduled, and the Indian embassy has coordinated with our university and Iranian authorities to postpone them, and we hope we can leave safely."

Stay home, avoid travel: Indian Embassy

The Indian Embassy advisory comes as tensions in the region continue to rise. Israeli airstrikes on Iranian nuclear and military sites and Iranian counterattacks have disrupted normal life in cities like Tehran, creating uncertainty about the safety and movement of residents.

The Indian Embassy and the MEA said in an official announcement that they are in constant touch with Indian citizens, coordinating with local authorities to ensure the safe evacuation of those who wish to return. Evacuation operations like Operation Sindhu in the past have successfully brought hundreds of Indians home from conflict zones.

Emergency contact numbers have been provided for Indians in need of assistance in Iran: +98 912 810 9115, +98 912 810 9109, +98 912 810 9102, and +98 993 217 9359.