Several Indian students were stranded after three Canadian institutions abruptly closed their doors after collecting millions of dollars in tuition payments.
The Indian High Commission in Ottawa has issued an advisory to Indian students who have been affected by the abrupt shift.
According to CBC News, all three colleges, M College in Montreal, CDE College in Sherbrooke, and CCSQ College in Longueuil, pushed up tuition fee deadlines, demanding students to pay up large sums all of a sudden, and delivered a notification to students earlier this month that they were closing entirely. Rising Phoenix International Inc. (RPI), the recruiting agency that runs all of the universities, has declared bankruptcy.
This follows just over a year after Quebec launched an investigation into numerous private colleges, including M College and CDE College, for “questionable” recruitment techniques for Indian students, according to CBC News. Thousands of panicked Indian students flocked to the Indian High Commission in Ottawa for help, since many of them had been compelled to pay thousands of dollars in fees without notice, only to have their education suspended.
On February 17, students affiliated with the Montreal Youth Student Organization organized an automobile parade from a gurudwara in Quebec’s Montreal to the province’s ministry of education headquarters in solidarity with the impacted overseas students. On January 29, a protest march was held outside the same gurudwara.
Protests have also been held in India, notably in Punjab, with the most recent one taking place in Ludhiana on Monday. Some of the protesting students’ main demands include a return of their money and assistance from the Justin Trudeau government in completing their courses by transferring their credits to other universities.
The sudden shutdown of the three institutions prompted thousands of Indian students to seek aid from the Indian High Commission in Canada’s capital, Ottawa, because many of them had been forced to pay thousands of dollars in fees without warning, only to have their education terminated.
“The High Commission has been approached by several students from India who were enrolled in the three institutions,” said the High Commission of India, in an advisory released on Friday.
“In the event that they find any difficulty in reimbursement of their fees or transfer of fees, they may file a complaint with Ministry of Higher Education, Government of Quebec,” stated the advisory. It also assured students that there were avenues through which they could attempt to recover their lost money.
According to the advice, the High Commission has been in regular touch with the federal government of Canada, the provincial government of Quebec, and elected officials from Canada’s Indian community to provide assistance to the kids.
The students were also advised that if they require immediate assistance with the matter, they can contact the Education Wing of the High Commission in Ottawa or the Consulate General of India in Toronto. If students have problems with fee refund or transfer, they can register a complaint with the Ministry of Higher Education, Government of Quebec.
The Indian High Commission in Ottawa advised students that there were avenues for them to try to recoup their lost funds. Students wishing to pursue higher education in Canada should thoroughly investigate the qualifications of the school to which they are applying. Students should not make any payments or divulge any personal information to any untrustworthy individual or institution offering a student visa in exchange for payment.
The advisory instructs students to request a certificate of recognition from the Canadian/provincial government from the institutions and to cross-check it against the list of designated learning institutions.
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