Australian varsities impose blanket ban on students from 5 Indian states: Report

Australia, a favourite destination for Indian students for higher education — apart from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada — has reportedly imposed blanket bans on students from five states in India after restricting access during the last couple of years.

Several Australian universities have imposed bans on students from Gujarat, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Haryana stating document fraud and increasing misuse of student visas to obtain jobs in Australia, according to a report in Newsband.

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There were reports in 2023 also that Australian universities had placed restrictions on giving visas to students from certain states in India for similar reasons and due to the high rate of dropouts.

Broader immigration overhaul

This move by the universities is seen as part of a broader immigration overhaul by the Australian government of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to cut down on increasing migration to the country and to crack down on “non-genuine” enrolment of international students.

Australia wants to reduce its net migration by half by 2025.

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It is reported that visa approvals for Indian students fell by a huge 48 per cent between December 2022 and December 2023. Almost 20 per cent of Indian student applications for visa are being rejected presently. It is said that student applicants from countries like Nepal and Pakistan have a greater rejection rate.

Central Queensland University, a regional university with more than 20 locations across Australia, reportedly told its partner agents that it would not accept applicants from India and Nepal for English programmes, and that it would not also accept those over 25 or who were married, unless they wished to pursue research. This is to preserve the university’s “low-risk” classification under Australia’s visa rating system.

It was reported in 2023 that Western Sydney University told agents not to enrol students from Punjab, Haryana, and Gujarat since most students from these states who began the courses in 2022 dropped out.

Difficult times for Indian students

Indian students trying to go abroad for education are facing stronger headwinds as other destinations like Canada and the UK are also making access more difficult. Canada is placing a cap on student permits, while the UK is placing restrictions on the students’ right to work in the country after they complete their courses.

It is also said that the Indian education system does not adequately prepare its students for academic pursuits abroad.

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Given the allegedly high unemployment rates for educated young people in the country, it is felt that the youth are migrating to other countries not just for higher studies but also for better economic opportunities. The forced deportation of hundreds of illegal immigrants by the US in recent months is another indication of this trend.