The last of the six foreign students of IIT(ISM), who have completed their studies, left for home on Wednesday with the Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR) taking care of their travel formalities.

While five MSc Tech (applied geology) are from Tanzania, one research scholar is from Iran.

IIT(ISM) dean (international relation) Dhiraj Kumar said the Tanzanian students were admitted through ICCR-sponsored scholarships. “They have completed their course. They also underwent online examinations conducted recently and their results will be declared soon,” he said.

All six left for Delhi by train from Dhanbad station. From Delhi, the Tanzanians will go to Mumbai from where they will take a flight out early on Saturday, May 30.

The Iranian research scholar, pursuing PhD in mining engineering, was living on campus with his wife. They also left Dhanbad by the same train to Delhi.

“All papers, including medical certificates, have already been furnished to the Tanzanian and Iranian students,” Kumar said, adding that ISM was in constant with officials of their respective countries through ICCR and the ministry of external affairs.

Train tickets of the Tanzanian students were arranged by ICCR while the cost of their air tickets for a chartered plane of Air Tanzania was borne by the government of India.

ICCR offers scholarships for students of various developing nations to pursue higher studies in various institutes of India. ICCR bears all expenses of the programme, including travel and stay.

Earlier on May 23, six MTech students, five of them lecturers, of Afghanistan, who completed their course in applied geology and fuel and mineral engineering as part of sponsored programmes, were sent back to their home country. They took a flight from New Delhi.

“A few more students from Republic of Sudan, Republic of Mozambique and Republic of Ghana are still on campus. But since they are in the middle of their course they will be staying back,” said Kumar.

IIT(ISM) served a notice on March 16, asking all students to vacate the hostel. All domestic students were told to leave the campus by midnight of March 18. International students were, however, allowed to stay at the hostel but their movement was restricted.

IIT (ISM) is continuing with online lessons for all students ever since the announcement of the nationwide lockdown. But all research activities have been suspended since all labs and classrooms are shut.