Hari Keertana Cherukuri aspires to pursue an undergraduate course in computer science in one of the universities in the United State of America. "I plan to apply for the course this August and I am pretty sure of securing a seat in a good university as I have secured a decent score in SAT (Scholastic Aptitude (or Assessment) Test)," says the young girl.
The recent directive of the Trump administration to strip international college students of their U.S. visas if their course work is entirely online in the ‘fall semester’ doesn’t worry Keertana much for she thinks that Mr. Trump will not return to power in the U.S. Presidential elections scheduled on November 3 and things would soon return to normal.
Keertana is in a safe space with a plan ‘B’ of opting for Indian universities if the situation warrants, unlike many students who are in the middle of their academic career in the "land of opportunities" and face a serious threat of deportation on account of the new rule.
The decision has triggered a scramble among international students in the U.S. who are rushing to their respective universities to clarify their status amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The U.S. Department of State has made it clear that visas will not be issued to the students enrolled in the universities/programmes that are fully online for the fall semester and nor will the U.S. Customs and Border Protection will allow these students to enter the United States. This has left international students in the U.S. with no choice but to transfer to a university or a school with in-person teaching mode to remain in a lawful status.
"It’s absurd and insane. The possibility of being deported back to my home country in the middle of the course is giving me sleepless nights. The government should realise that the universities, as a precautionary measure have moved the classes online, and that the students did not choose this mode of education. Then why punish us?" wonders Akshit Agarwal, a student from Vijayawada currently in Ohio.
"The announcement has triggered panic among overseas students. I have been flooded with phone calls from our students who are in the U.S., extremely worried about the possible deportations," admits Ranganath Mummadi of Be Best Educational Consultants in Vijayawada.
Universities unhappy
Most universities are protesting against the move since they also stand to lose in terms of the vast pool of international students in their respective institutions, in the bargain. Experts also say that some of them are trying to buy more time to find out a feasible way to retain their students instead of sending them back home.
Pointing to the fact that the Department of Homeland Security there has given a time frame to the universities to furnish the Student Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) comprising a detailed information about the international student community, Mr. Ranganath says the universities are reluctant for understandable reasons. "But in the end, a lot of overseas students will get affected by this whole exercise," he admits.
After Trump won the elections and tightened the immigration laws, the number of students heading to the U.S. every year is said to have dwindled from almost 4 lakh to 1.75 lakh now with many aspirants switching to other countries.
Answering anxious calls from his students seeking alternatives and how to go about them, Mr. Ranganath says such large-scale deportations would not be easy.
Other options
"The outbreak of COVID-19 has already upset the academic plans of students and the U.S. stand on F1 visas has dealt a further blow to the overseas students there. A large number of students have switched to other countries like Australia, the U.K. and European nations for higher studies to avoid such uncertainties. If the Trump regime goes ahead with this, it will only further jeopardise the future plans of the student community," says Mullapudi Kesava of Spring Field Overseas, an educational consultancy based out of Vijayawada.
He says besides quality education, the fact that a large number of Telugu families have made this country their second home, is why many students choose the U.S. as their preferred destination.
When asked for his response, Education Minister Adimulapu Suresh says the Education Department has no role in the issue. But he goes on to cite the example of an Australian university allowing online admissions followed by virtual classes with the option that students could attend off-line classes when the situation normalises.
Desperate measures
Many international students are rushing to enroll in in-person classes even if they are not connected to their majors. In a desperate attempt to stay put at the place till the end of their courses, some students are seeking to swap in-person course spot with the local American students willing to help them.
