 "India expresses concern over US decision on foreign students' visas")
India on Thursday said it was concerned over the decision of the US to withdraw visas from foreign students whose courses moved fully online as it may lead to return of a large number of Indian students studying in that country.
Spokesperson in the Ministry of External Affairs Anurag Srivastava said Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla raised the issue with US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs David Hale during an online meeting on Tuesday.
In a move that is expected to adversely impact hundreds of thousands of Indian students, the US immigration authority has announced that foreign students will have to leave the country or risk deportation if their universities switch to online-only classes in this fall semester due to the coronavirus pandemic.
"We are concerned over the possibility that it may lead to return of large number of Indian students studying in the US. We have conveyed our concerns to the US side. The issue was raised by the foreign secretary during the foreign office consultation on July 7," Srivastava said at an online media briefing.
He said India conveyed to the US that there is a need to keep in mind the role of educational exchanges and people-to-people relations between the two countries as they played a key role in the development of the overall ties.
"The US side has noted our concerns in this regard," he said.
According to a recent report, around 194,000 Indian students were enrolled in various academic institutions of the US in January this year.
One subscription. Two world-class reads.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
SAVE 25%
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Subscribe
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors
Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share
Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor
Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements
Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
SAVE 25%