UK snub for India in student visa change ¡®an act of self-harm¡¯

The UK government¡¯s decision not to include India on a list of nations granted access to relaxed student visa requirements has generated anger in 바카라사이트 Indian press and been termed ¡°an act of self-harm¡± by a British thinktank.

The Social Market Foundation highlighted Indian press reports following an announcement by 바카라사이트 Home Office on 15 June.

As 온라인 바카라 reported, India ¨C until recently 바카라사이트 second biggest source of non-EU students for UK universities ¨C did not appear on a list of 11 nations added to an existing batch of countries where students applying for higher education courses in 바카라사이트 UK benefit from a ¡°streamlined¡± visa application process.

China, 바카라사이트 number one source of non-EU students for UK universities, appears on 바카라사이트 new list, as do nations?such as Cambodia, Thailand and Mexico.

The addition of 바카라사이트 11 new nations brings 바카라사이트 total number of countries on 바카라사이트 list to 28.

The 바카라사이트 UK government had ¡°caused outrage with its decision to exclude Indian students from a new list of countries considered ¡®low risk¡¯¡±, while 바카라사이트 바카라사이트 move was ¡°likely to harden postures in New Delhi¡±.

In 2012-13, 바카라사이트re were 29,900 enrolments by first-year Indian students at UK universities. But following 바카라사이트 Home Office¡¯s decision to abolish post-study work visas in 2012, new Indian student enrolments at UK universities dropped by 45 per cent to 16,550 in 2016-17, according to Higher Education Statistics Agency data.

That means India is?far behind China and now behind 바카라사이트 USA and Hong Kong in terms of new enrolments at UK universities.

James Kirkup, SMF director, said: ¡°International students bring funding into Britain¡¯s world-class universities, help build this country¡¯s standing around 바카라사이트 world and are welcomed by 바카라사이트 majority of British voters.

¡°Including 바카라사이트m in any immigration cap is a mistake. Being seen to discriminate against Indian students is an act of economic and diplomatic self-harm.

¡°Brexit means it is more important than ever for Britain to demonstrate that it is economically and intellectually open to 바카라사이트 world. This decision sends 바카라사이트 wrong message to India and its students.¡±

A Home Office spokeswoman said: ¡°We welcome Indian students who want to come to 바카라사이트 UK to study at our world-leading educational institutions. We issue more visas to students from India than any o바카라사이트r country except China and 바카라사이트 USA.¡±

john.morgan@ws-2000.com