Indian Students in Distress : they Claimed Being Cheated with False Promises 

Guarav, Bikram, Ankush, Samparsh landed in Mauritius in March with lots of dreams for a better future. But soon, their dreams turned into nightmares and since then, they have been unable to sleep peacefully. It is not the first time that Indian students are facing issues in Mauritius. On Thursday, four students along with social workers protested in front of the Government House. The banners reflected the disappointment and frustration of these students. 

A salary of Rs 60, 000-70,000, free accommodation, food and even a job in Canada or in Australia were promised to students from India who applied to an Institution found in Ebène for a diploma course in Hospitality. Unfortunately, these students were cheated of their funds and unable to adapt in Mauritius due to various difficulties. Now they want to return to their country and they are asking for refunds.  They paid 5,125 USD to come to Mauritius 

Rajah Madhewoo, who is fighting for these students, explained that it is not the first time that this institution has had issues with foreign students. “Mauritius cannot encourage such institutions to play with the lives of young people and at the same, tarnish the image of Mauritius. These students are from poor families who have come to Mauritius to study for a bright future. But they have been cheated. They came here under student visas and were promised a part time job, where they will earn around Rs 70,000. Who gets Rs 70,000 in a part time job in Mauritius? They have been fooled.”    

Gaurav: “I was promised a job with a salary of Rs 60,000”

25-year-old Gaurav came to Mauritius with much hope to rebuild his future but his dreams have been shattered ever since he came to Paradise Island. Barely could he converse in English or understand English. “The agent that recruited us in India promised us that we will get a job here. As I am not used to English language, the agent told me that English is not important in Mauritius. I will be happy there. So, I trusted him and paid a huge sum to come here.”

After four weeks, when Gaurav could not adapt here, he decided to leave but the institution started to put pressure on him. “I am compelled to stay as they are not willing to refund. How will we stay here when we are not used to speak any of the languages? We can speak only in Hindi. For jobs too, it is the same issue, as we expected.” 

Gaurav is quite lost as he does not know when he will be able to return to his country and how he will pay back the loan he took.  “As I was promised a job with a minimum salary of Rs 60,000, I could have paid back the money I borrowed. But now, I have nothing. I don’t know what I should do. But all I want is to go back to my country. My father passed away and I have only my mother. I have to take care of her. My life has turned upside down.”  

Vikram Singh: “I have taken a huge amount of debt”

Vikram, 22, from Haryana has also been duped. He spent more than 5,125 USD to come to Mauritius for his studies and to work. But once he arrived here, he was shocked to see that the institution turned out be a big fraud and had sold lots of dreams to him.

“The first thing that was to my advantage was that there was no requirement for English language. Our schooling was done in Hindi only. So, when the agent told me English language was not requirement, I grabbed this opportunity, as my English skills are very weak. Another thing that attracted me here is the part time job which could bring me around Rs 70,000 per month.”

Reaching here on the eve of the start of the semester, he was excited to join the institution but his happiness could not last longer. He found that the field he chose was being taught in English and he could barely adapt. Another surprise was that he was unable to find a decent paid part time job. “Coming to Mauritius has not been an easy decision. I have taken a huge amount of debt, thinking that I will be able to pay back my loans easily. Now, I have nothing left and want to return. I do not know what I will do once I’m back in India.” 

Ankush Singh: “I was expecting a better future” 

Ankush, 22, who belongs to a small farming family, was devastated completely when he landed in Mauritius. At first, he was very happy, as he was expecting a better future. But when he first saw the institution in person, he was stunned, as the video showing the institution and the description provided were not the same.

“The agent told us the institution is a renowned one, with big buildings, big classes and gym as well other interesting facilities. But here, we can see nothing as such. I have also been told I will get a part time job with a good salary. I got a small job where I was paid only Rs 300 and would work till very late.” He came here to work for a better future but unfortunately, he has lost more than expected. Now he is willing to return but with his money refunded. 

Samparsh S : “I regret coming here” 

23-year old Samparsh has been trying to adjust ever since he stepped into Mauritius around one month ago but he is unable to do so. He is disappointed and wants to return to his country. He said that the institution has been very unfair to him. “Showing us big dreams is surely not good. We are from a small village from India who wanted to make a future for ourselves and our family. We have been cheated so much that we cannot trust people now.”

He claims that for an Indian like him, putting together the amount of 5,125 USD is not a piece of cake. “We have borrowed money from different places to fulfil my dreams. I wanted to make a career in Hospitality. I was promised a job in Canada and in Australia. But I was unaware that these were fake dreams. I regret coming here.”  

Former Centre Manager: “There are certain anomalies within the institution”

Former Centre Manager of the accused Institution, claimed that there are certain anomalies within the institution. He explained that some procedures have not been followed. “First and foremost, the students had to do a Skype interview but that did not take place. Second, the students’ skills at English language, both spoken and written, are poor. In this case, it is useless for these students to study the course, which is in English. So, I made my recommendations to the director for a total refund. But unfortunately, I was fired from my job.”

He stated that as per the guidelines given out by the MQA, the first one stated clearly that “the students fully meet the entry requirement for the above programme and they are proficient in the language of study.”

For him, this has been not respected. He also revealed that the first batch which consisted of 15 Nepalese students had complained against the director and 14 of them left Mauritius without any refund. Now, the second batch also is facing the same fate. He has written several letters to the MQA regarding this issue.  

The director claims baseless accusations are being made 

To hear the other side of the story, we contacted the director of the institute, who denied all the accusations made. According to him, the students are lying and exaggerating. He stated that those willing to return will be refunded only 50%. “We have accepted to refund them 50% as they are unable to adapt. But whatever they are claiming are false and baseless accusations. As far as I know, no promises were made to them in regards to jobs or salary,” he stated.