NEW DELHI: The US administration’s recent move to levy a one-time H-1B visa fee of Rs 88 lakh, is set to have a crippling impact on Indian students going to the US for higher education as the job market could dry up for them.
Top educationists feel this is a massive opportunity to retain our native talent while educational consultancies to the US feel Europe stands to benefit due to this move.
In 2024, nearly 11 lakh students from Asia went abroad according to the US Immigrations and Customs Enforcement with 4.2 lakh of them being Indians.
Professor G Ramesh, a Public Policy specialist, who recently retired from IIM Bengaluru, said, “The best part is that we will be able to retain bright Indian talent within the country.” Indian and Chinese students dominate the international students studying in the US. “Upto 70% of the top three programmes offered by the top ten universities in the US have Indians or Chinese students. The education sector in the US will take a big beating.”
Most students go to the US to get an MS in Computer Science or any other STEM degree, he pointed out. “For this two-year course, they take a loan between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 75 lakh with the hope of repaying them when they get a job in the US.
That would not happen in the future as no company will be ready to pay $1,00,000 to get a visa for a fresher,” he said. There is already a clear dip in Indian students in US institutions even this year due to the cuts affected in scholarships and grants, Ramesh added.
“Many US institutions will start setting shops in India as they need students. We will gradually emerge as a global education hub in the future.”
Concurring with him is Professor V Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, “I am 100% sure it will help India. The brain drain will come to an end. ‘Learn and Earn’ is the objective behind Indian students going to the US for their postgraduate or doctorate degrees. The new rule on H-1B visas is a clear deterrent to that.”
A consultant in Noida said, “Just two days ago, two women students and their parents visited us about US education prospects. After the H1B announcement was made, they said they have changed their mind. We have now advised them to consider some other European country or Canada.”
Another consultant said, “We are just adopting a wait and watch approach. Policies keep changing on a daily basis. We are in a confused state now.”