“I know of people who have been so demoralised by this process that they have almost given up on their PhDs. It is not an easy thing to change your topic after three to four years of research and preparation (including learning a new language) for a given project,” she said.

“They (USEFI) told me that my application still had to go to External Affairs for clearance since my husband is to accompany me, and he is a US citizen. But he is not doing any research in India and would not be coming on a research visa, but rather an entry visa-so this does not really make sense. Every foreigner who comes to India does not need clearance from External Affairs after all,” says Morarji who was one of the signatories to the letter to US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

“Why does every project have to go to External Affairs? There must be a streamlining of this process. These seem like Cold War-era rules,” she writes. Morarji finds the whole idea anachronistic. “It is truly sad, but indicative of the times that we live in, that it seems to be easier to clear FDI proposals than academic research proposals by scholars who are genuinely committed to knowledge about and for India, and who have dedicated a significant part of their lives to this pursuit,” she says.