Association upset over UK decision to suspend issue of visa

The Association of Accredited Advisors on Overseas Education (AAAOE) is sore over the UK High Commission’s decision to suspend issue of visa for students from north India.

The Association also expressed its 'unhappiness' over the criticism of the UK Border Agency (UKBA) that Indian agents for overseas education were responsible for the troubles of students who suffered destitution in UK.

The ‘unhappiness’ came in the wake of UK’s measures to suspend student visa applications from North India, since February 1 last and UKBA’s blaming Indian agents in this connection. UKBA had said 'misguidance' of agents in India leave the Indian students scrounging for food and shelter in Gurdwaras in Southall.

Association president Paul CB Chennlakumar told PTI that the UK, to attract more Indian students, had changed rules that it was enough if the students seeking visas showed a minimum bank balance for 28 days, equivalent to one term tuition fee and six months boarding expenses.

The students, enthused by the change of rules, abused the system by borrowing money from financiers to make deposits for 28 days and get the visa, he said.

Under the previous system, the students were asked to show six months bank balance and their capacity to pay the tuition fee, he said, adding, it prevented them from seeking part time jobs and concentrate on their studies. 

On UKBA’s allegations that agents in North India promised the students that they could get food and shelter at Gurdwaras, Chennlakumar said it was common for Sikh community to work and get food and shelter in their places of worship. It was their religious practice and nothing to do with agents, he said.

Over 60,000 students from India went to UK in 2009, while more than 1,00,000 to US the same year. The UK Universities, which entered the Indian market 15 years ago with the expectation of getting at least 10 students per year, are not satisfied even after getting the huge numbers, he said.

In their efforts to keep up with the US in the number game, they keep changing policies, he said.

Expressing dissatisfaction over the 'unhealthy number race', AAAOE said UKBA should make its institutions take stringent measures and appoint only professional agents and sub-agents system should be entirely eradicated.

Standardisation of UKBA’s policies and regulation of the laws in this regard by the UK government could be a solution to the prevailing problems, he said.

"Appropriate score in International English Language Training system (IELTS) and documentary evidence for the source of savings with a bank balance for a minimum period of six months should be made mandatory. UK earns 2.5 billion sterling per year from international students and taking a risk of losing such revenue at this recession period is not advisable," he added.