THE new American regulations requiring international students with F-1 visas to take at least one in-person course or face the prospect of deportation could lead to "uncertainties and difficulties" for some students from India, the Indian embassy in the US has warned.
According to a recent report of Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), there were 1,94,556 Indian students -- 1,26,132 males and 68,405 females -- enrolled in various American institutions this year.
At the India-US Foreign Office Consultations held on Tuesday (7), Indian foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla had conveyed concerns on the matter to the American under secretary of state for political affairs, David Hale.
"These new modifications at a time when many of the US universities and colleges are yet to announce their plans for the new academic year are likely to cause uncertainties and difficulties for some Indian students wishing to pursue their studies in the US," an Indian embassy spokesperson said on Wednesday.
He told media that the Indian government was following up the matter with US officials.
Noting that partnership in higher education was a key component of the strong people-to-people ties between India and the US, the spokesperson said, over the past two decades, Indian students in in America had been the harbingers of a strong partnership between technology and innovation sectors of the two countries.
Indian officials hoped the US authorities would provide adequate flexibility in their visa rule, keeping in mind the extraordinary circumstances.
"We continue to engage all the stakeholders in the matters, including the US administration officials, Congressional leaders, universities and colleges as well as the Indian students community in the US as we move forward towards the 2020-21 academic year to further strengthen our bilateral partnership in higher education," the spokesperson said.
Mark Easton
And , Sue Baker OBE
