Melbourne: The number of Indian students in
Australia could plunge by a whopping 21 percent in the coming
year as an off-shoot of unabated violent attacks and visa
scams, according to an official report released here on Wednesday.
In its latest prediction, Tourism Australia has said the
recent spate of attacks on students will result in 4,000 fewer
Indians coming to Australia, to study here next year.
"The downturn is expected in response to concerns that
the Indian community have had about safety," Head of Tourism
Australia's forecasting committee Bernard Salt said.
As the slide in inflow of Indian students comes about,
Australia could lose over USD 70 million in revenue, the study
said.
"What we are saying is that based on consideration of visa
applications, there is 20 per cent hit incoming number
Indians students in 2010," Salt said, adding that it was hard
to say whether this drop could be a "knee-jerk, one-year
reaction".
Gautam Gupta, President of the Federation of Indian
Students in Australia, however, said the slump would not be as
severe as predicted earlier after a spate of attacks on
students of Indian origin upto June this year.
"Our fears were that the slide could touch as high as 50
percent. But it is going to be only 21 percent," he said.
Australia's education industry has in recent years
witnessed an unprecedented boom with the value touching as
high as USD 15.4 billion a year and is listed as the country's
third biggest export earner.
Students from India make-up for 19 percent of those
enrolling in Australian universities. Last year as many as
117,000 enrolled.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and other top Australian
officials travelled to India earlier this year to deliver
assurances that Indian students were safe in their country.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, December 30, 2009, 14:43