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Why’s Australian crackdown rattling Indian students? Whopping 25% fake visa applications

sabrang — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 09:13:01 +0000

This is what happened several months ago. A teenager living in the housing society where I reside was sent to Australia to study at a university in Sydney with much fanfare. The parents, whom I often met as part of a group, would tell us how easily the boy got his admission with the help of “some well-meaning friends,” adding that they had obtained an education loan to ensure he could study at a graduate school.

On reaching Sydney, the boy’s parents—especially the father—would tell us how a place to stay had been arranged by a “very close friend” at virtually no cost, and that the boy was “extremely happy.” We would be shown photos of the boy at various spots in the city as evidence of his happiness.

But as time passed, the father began to complain that his son had to “walk a lot” from where he stayed in order to catch public transport. “He gets tired on return,” he would tell us, adding that food was another problem. “He has to prepare his own food, which he has never done. Besides, while we can afford outside food, since he is a pure vegetarian, he isn’t very comfortable with what’s available on the counter.”

A month or so later, we found that the boy had returned. The reason? He was “unable to adjust,” and his mother was quite worried about him. “She advised him to return,” the father said, adding, “We have been promised by the university to return the advance fees deposited for his studies… Good that he is back…” Ironically, the parents never revealed which agent, if any, had organized the boy’s student visa.

While this boy returned after failing to adjust to a foreign environment, a news item published in the Times of India, authored by my ex-colleague Bharat Yagnik, suggests that Australia has now clamped down on Indian students, with the country joining the US and Canada in tightening immigration norms for Indian students, and several universities halting applications from six states, including Gujarat. The universities which have cracked the whip are Federation University, Western Sydney University, Victoria University, and Southern Cross University. Apart from Gujarat, the affected students are from Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Jammu & Kashmir.

The news item quotes what it calls visa consultants and foreign education experts—especially from Gujarat—pointing out that they are “rattled.” In their estimate, “20% of students from the state heading abroad typically choose Australia, a figure likely to drop with these new restrictions.”

Foreign education consultant Bhavin Thaker is quoted as saying, “This has dramatically reduced the number of opportunities available to students. Of every 100 students who plan to study overseas, at least 20 are directly impacted. With Canada and the US already tightening immigration policies, and now Australia going the same way, the list of accessible countries is shrinking. While there’s no official government statement yet, the message is quite clear.”

Visa consultant Lalit Advani is cited as claiming, “The decision by Australian universities to restrict applications from certain regions within India will impact genuine students. The majority of applicants are sincere, and they can be easily identified based on their academic scores, background, and intent. Blanket bans only add to the frustration.”

No sooner had I read the news item than I forwarded it to my college friend Neeraj Nanda, who runs South Asia Times, an online periodical in Melbourne, and phoned him up to find out what was happening, and what the Australian side of the story was. Nanda, who was my colleague at Link Newsweekly in Delhi in the early 1980s, told me that this is an “old story,” pointing out that the authorities in Australia have discovered how Indian students submit fake documents to study in Australia.

“The largest number of foreign students come from India and China. While Chinese students generally return, Indian students try to stay back. What I know is, most of these students coming with fake papers are from three states—Gujarat, Haryana, and Punjab. It is the job of the agents appointed by the Australian authorities in India to verify the documents and send them to the respective universities for admission. Some of these agents may be running this racket,” he told me.

According to him, “Earlier also, there was a crackdown on those submitting fake papers to gain admission, though this time, as the Times of India story suggests, there appears to be a blanket ban from the states which send the highest number of such students.”.

A quick search suggested that the Australian Department of Home Affairs reported that approximately 25% of student visa applications from India are now considered fraudulent or non-genuine. Many Indian students, particularly from Punjab, Haryana, and Gujarat, who commenced studies in 2022, did not continue their enrollment. The trend suggests that some students may be using the student visa pathway primarily to gain employment opportunities in Australia.

In 2023, Western Sydney University informed agents that “a large number of Indian students who commenced study in 2022 intakes have not remained enrolled, resulting in a significantly high attrition rate”—one reason the university decided to pause recruitment from Gujarat, Haryana, and Punjab. The ban lasted for two months—May and June 2023. A stricter ban or scrutiny has now been imposed.

Meanwhile, according to reports, the Australian government has also increased the financial requirements for student visa applicants, requiring proof of savings of at least A$29,710 (approximately ₹16.3 lakh) to qualify for a visa.

These restrictions—negatively impacting legitimate students and straining Indo-Australian educational ties—may have become difficult to remove unless addressed through diplomatic or policy interventions.

Courtesy: CounterView

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More than 30 lakh Indian students went abroad for higher studies in 6 years: UoI

Sat, 11 Feb 2023 11:54:14 +0000

More numbers of Indian students are going abroad to pursue higher education than previous years. Data submitted by the education ministry in the Parliament reveals that 750,365 students went abroad for higher education in 2022 alone. The number of students going overseas has increased by 68% in comparison to 444,553 students going abroad in 2021, junior education minister Subhash Sarkar told Parliament.

The data also shows that 454,009 students went abroad for higher studies in 2017, followed by 517,998 in 2018 and 586,337 in 2019. During the Covid pandemic, the number fell by half, declining to 259,655 in 2020.Cumulatively, more than 30 lakh Indians went abroad for higher studies between 2017 and 2022, the education ministry informed Lok Sabha.
The minister was also asked if it is a fact that the money being spent by Indian students abroad is more than the education budget of the country, and if the government has any proposal to establish “International University of high standard” to save the said funds. Responding to this part of the question, Sarkar said, “as of now there is no proposal to set up International University in the country”.

“However, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has drafted enabling Regulations to facilitate the establishment of campuses of Foreign Higher Educational Institutions in India.

“The draft University Grants Commission (Setting up and Operation of Campuses of Foreign Higher Educational Institutions In India) Regulations, 2023 was placed in the public domain seeking feedback, suggestions, comments, etc from all stakeholders by January 18, 2023. However, in view of the requests received from stakeholders, the last date for receiving comments on the draft Regulations has been extended till February 20,” he said.

December 2022

In the winter session of parliament, the union government had informed the Lok Sabha on Wednesday that till November 30, 2022, around 6.5 lakh students went abroad for higher education.

Meanwhile, a report in Manorama records the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) states, in December 2022 that 12 lakh Indian students migrate to different countries, including China, the United Kingdom, France, and Ukraine, every year for higher education. However, the number of students from various countries coming to India for education is only 26,000 every year.

“What is lacking in our education system that is forcing the students to look for education abroad? This needs to be studied as change can be brought into our system so that our students remain here for education and more foreign students come to India in pursuit of higher education,” said AIU President G. Thiruvasagam. In his remarks at the valedictory of VCs’ conference in Kerala, he said the country must focus on providing education to our own students, bringing in necessary changes.
What drives our students to go abroad?

Exorbitant fees charged by Indian universities, especially those offering medical courses, and lack of job opportunities in the country force many students to go overseas for higher studies.

The number of Indian students choosing to study abroad has steadily increased over the years. Though there was a sudden slump in the numbers during the pandemic and lockdowns last year, a good number of students are again gearing up to move abroad.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs, 2,61,406 students from India went abroad in 2020 and 71,769 left last year. Alongside states such as Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, Kerala also sees thousands of students leaving the Indian shores to fulfil their dream of studying abroad every year.

According to the government data, 30,948 students left for countries like the US, the UK, Australia, China, Germany and Poland from Kerala in 2019, while only 29,314 students went abroad from Karnataka.

After institutions switched to the online or hybrid mode of functioning, the expectations of students have also changed. The flexible vaccination plans and various unlock policies across the globe have made it easier for them to organise their travel without any hassle, encouraging many to look forward to studying in renowned universities abroad.

Many educational consultants functioning in the state also say that with many countries easing restrictions and opening their borders, there has been an uptick in the number of students opting to study abroad.

“Just three months back, we sent five students to Ukraine for professional courses like marine engineering. However, the demand is more for medical degree courses since it’s cheaper in Ukraine when compared to our country and countries like the UK. It costs only Rs 16 lakh to Rs 20 lakh for a medical degree in Ukraine, while it costs around Rs 40 lakh to Rs 70 lakh in India. Countries like New Zealand and Australia were closed due to the pandemic in the last two years. Though Australia opened its borders in December, New Zealand is yet to do so. However, there has been a 30 per cent increase in the number of students going to study abroad,” says Shanil Louis of SureGrow Overseas Education Consultancy Pvt Limited.

He also said many students are opting for master’s courses in the UK as they are offering the option of employment after two years. Dr Suraj Lal, director of Matha Education Consultancy, Thiruvananthapuram also affirms the number of students from the state opting to study abroad has increased, especially for medical courses. “Ukraine was one of the most preferred countries. However, with the current situation, we don’t know if parents will be willing to send their children there in the future. Last year, many students went there. I also completed my doctorate in Ukraine,” he says.

Lack of opportunities

A section of educationalists cites the lack of job opportunities in our state as their reason for the large-scale migration of students to foreign countries. “People are now well-informed about the courses and job opportunities available in foreign countries. Various education consultants provide guidance to them, making things easier. The students also have the option to take up part-time jobs as they pursue their studies abroad.

Hence, many students travel overseas. The lack of adequate job opportunities in our state has led to many migrations. In Ukraine, more than 2,000 students from Kerala were doing their medical degree courses. This also highlights the lack of seats available in our state for professional courses, which should be definitely addressed,” said Dr J Rajan, former dean of Faculty of Management Studies, University of Kerala and member of the Kerala State Higher Education Council (KSHEC).

Dr Joy Job Kulavelil, also a member of KSHEC, said doing medical courses abroad has also become a trend. “One of the reasons is the difficulty in getting seats in medical colleges in our state. If the intelligence of the students in our state is tapped, revolutions can be brought about in many fields. Hence, an analysis should be done regarding the mass migration of Malayali students abroad,” he said.

11,33,749 Indian students study abroad as per the latest data available with the government
25,000 students approximately go abroad to study medicine each year from the country
50% Indian students study in North America, say reports

Cheaper alternative

According to the government data, 30,948 students left for countries like the US, the UK, Australia, China, Germany and Poland from Kerala in 2019. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, 2,61,406 students from India went abroad in 2020 and 71,769 left last year.

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