Why are our students treated this way?

I refer to the letter appearing in The Sunday Times of August 19 sent by Ranjit Fernando on the Indian High Commission and fully agree with the contents. I wish to add a few more points which I have experienced during the recent past.

This is with regard to students who are going to pursue their higher studies in India. I wish to state emphatically, that the top officials of the embassy should be well aware of the fact that these students have already remitted a considerable amount of foreign exchange to India, in addition to the other numerous expenses they will incur during their stay there.

I really do not understand why, with all the documents along with the admission certificate issued by the respective academies in India, wherein they have clearly stated and advised the respective embassies to issue the visa, students have to go through such a hassle.

I was shocked to see how people suffer in the rain and hot sun standing in the queue for five-six hours without any assistance. Adding to the misery all of a sudden people are chased away to clear the road for security reasons.

Eventually, their five-six hour stay in the queue from three-four a.m. in the morning ends without being able to enter the embassy. Invariably there were people including students, who had to go through this agony for two-three days, just to enter the embassy.

I am sure the Indian High Commission of Colombo can adopt a more efficient, effective and courteous service to Sri Lankans when issuing visas.

By Mangalika Wijetunge, Mattegoda.