Chennai: 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 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 C B Chennlakumar said 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.
Standardization 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.
PTI
