28 students deported from the US in ‘23 : Union Govt

“The govt has requested US authorities to ensure fairness with regard to entry of Indian students who hold valid student visas," MoS Muraleedharan said

Representative image / Image - Unsplash

Indian Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan disclosed in the Lok Sabha on Friday, Dec 15, that 28 students from the United States had been deported to India in 2023.

“According to information available with the Ministry, 28 Indian students were deported from USA to India in 2023. State-wise data regarding Indian students deported from USA is not available,” he said. The information was made public in response to inquiries from Trinamool Congress members Pratima Mondal and Prof. Sougata Ray.

Furthermore, he said, the Indian government has complained about these incidents to the US authorities and asked them to make sure Indian students with genuine student visas are admitted fairly. “Whenever such issues/instances come to the attention of our Embassy/Consulates in USA, they also provide consular assistance to the Indian students,” he explained.

In his written answer to the Lok Sabha, the Minister further stated that outreach programs and advisories are routinely organized by the Ministry and Indian Missions/Posts abroad to educate Indian nationals, including students, about safe and lawful migration and the importance of being wary of dishonest agents and phony job offers. The corresponding State Governments are notified of complaints regarding fraudulent agents and illegal immigration so that they can look into the matter and bring the offenders accountable.

The United States is fast becoming a popular destination for Indian students looking to further their studies overseas. The most recent Open Doors Report, which was published in November, states that the number of Indians pursuing postgraduate studies in the US climbed by 63% to 165,000 in the academic year 2022–2023, surpassing China for the first time in 15 years to take the top spot among foreign graduate students in the US. Furthermore, 268,000 Indian students, including those engaged in Optional Practical Training programs, were studying at the undergraduate and graduate levels in the US last year.

It was also recently revealed that the US is reducing the length of time it takes to get a visa appointment and that it granted more than 140,000 visas to Indian students last year.

https://indianexpress.com/article/education/study-abroad/28-indian-students-deported-from-us-in-2023-govt-9070510/