<span style="color: #222222;">UK universities have urged distressed Indian students, whether still in Britain or in India, to get in touch with their varsity support services if they need help or guidance during the corona virus related lockdown.<br />''<br />''Earlier, the Indian government announced plans to begin phased repatriation of its citizens stranded abroad from May 7.<br />''<br />''As the Indian government's first phase of repatriations from the UK to India begins from today, many Indian students in the UK still face a long wait before they can fly home.<br />''<br />''The UK universities said they wanted them to know that the support continues to be available.<br />''<br />''Universities UK said that support offered by universities includes delivering food to students, providing hardship funds for students in financial difficulty, waiving accommodation fees or moving international students into accommodation where they can look after them by providing cleaning, security and catering.<br />''<br />''Universities are also providing pastoral and mental health support.<br />''<br />''Indians make up one of the largest groups of international students from outside the European Union (EU) studying at universities in Britain, after Chinese students.<br />''<br />''Thousands of these Indian students have found themselves stranded as India imposed a ban on international flights in the middle of March.<br />''<br />''Indian students' representative groups such as the National Indian Students and Alumni Union UK (NISAU-UK) and Indian National Students Association (INSA) have issued advisories and have been organising food deliveries and other assistance through the lockdown.</span><br />