IRS did not allow me to claim standard deduction

[csedayski]

I filed my 2019 taxes as a non-resident alien. The IRS sent me a notice today saying that there were errors in my return and asked me to pay $3000. The letter says,

Information was changed because of the following:
We changed the other itemized deductions claimed on your return because you made one of the following errors on your Schedule A, Itemized Deductions:
- The amount was computed incorrectly.
- The amount included miscellaneous itemized deductions that are not allowed for the tax year (185D)

They then compare my tax calculations to theirs -- the only difference being that my taxable income is lower than my adjusted gross income (AGI) since I claimed standard deduction. While according to their calculations, my AGI and taxable income should be the same. There is no other information in the notice, so I guess that means that they have an issue with my standard deduction. As an Indian student on an F1 Visa, I'm allowed to claim standard deduction (see this link), and have done so since the past few years using the exact same method. I'm not sure what went wrong here.

Should I try to call the IRS and talk to a representative?

[Mike9241]

call.  perhaps its computers didn't recognize you as as a student from India

I see nothing on the 1040-NR that would allow you to indicate you are a student or business apprentice

Standard deduction for certain
residents of India. Students or
business apprentices may be able to
take the standard deduction on Form
1040-NR, line 12, instead of their
itemized deductions if they are eligible
for benefits under Article 21(2) of the
United States-India Income Tax
Treaty. They will enter the standard
deduction amount found for their filing
status on Form 1040 or 1040-SR. See
chapter 5 of Pub. 519 for details. Also
see Standard Deduction under
Line 12—Deductions or Standard
Deduction in the Instructions for
Forms 1040 and 1040-SR. If they
must use the Standard Deduction
Worksheet for Dependents—Line 12
in the Instructions for Forms 1040 and
1040-SR, they should enter the
amount on the same line of Form
1040-NR as they are directed to enter
it on Form 1040 or 1040-SR

[csedayski]

My 1040NR along with a few other forms do mention these details. I filed a paper return so perhaps, this was just a human error? Either way, I wanted to check if it makes sense to try and resolve something like this over a call. It looks like it does. Thanks for the response! 

[fanfare]

" I'm not sure what went wrong here."

you say you always take the standard deduction.

BUT, 

IRS is saying you took the itemized deduction.

IRS is changing you back to the standard deduction. If you agree, there is nothing for you to do but pay up.