Indian Students In Canada Protest Against Compulsory French Language Exams, Face Backlash

Last Updated:May 28, 2025, 19:23 IST

Indian students in Quebec said their colleges in Montreal are forcing them to pass French exams before they can obtain their degrees.

Indian students in Quebec, Canada are facing backlash after protesting against compulsory French language exams required for their degrees. In a widely shared video, the students, with blurred faces, expressed their opposition to being forced to take French exams to receive their degrees and a PGWP or Post-graduation Work Permit.

Indian students in Quebec said their colleges in Montreal are forcing them to pass French exams before they can obtain their degrees. In the video, the students highlighted that the requirement to learn the language does not seem to apply to students at McGill and Concordia, both universities in Montreal, Quebec.

“Why are your college students treated differently?,” the students asked. They further added, “Our college must stand with us. No more double standards, no more barriers. Equal rights for all students.”

The students said that failing to pass these exams means they will not receive their degrees. They stated that their issue is not with learning French, but with the fear and uncertainty caused by Bill 96, a law passed in Quebec in 2022 to promote French language.

The video has been posted on the Instagram page of ‘French With Fairness’ .

Canada has two official languages: English and French. The later is predominantly spoken in Quebec. The video received backlash with many locals suggesting that international students return to India if they cannot learn the language of the country.

“They literally picked Montreal, which is part of the AUTONOMOUS province of Canada, Quebec where French is the official language. If the students can’t even communicate in the official language, what’s the point of giving them PGWP?” wrote one Instagram user.

“Go back to India if you don’t want to learn French. This is the language and culture here; nobody owes you a compromise because you don’t want to put the work in to learn the language,” wrote another user.

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