Two more universities in Australia have halted the recruitment of students from certain regions in India due to an alarming rise in potentially fraudulent visa applications. Federation University in Victoria and Western Sydney University in New South Wales have instructed education agents to halt student recruitments from the states of Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh, as well as the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
This recent action was reported by The Sydney Morning Herald, which came to light last week when the universities issued directives to their education agents. This move is viewed as a significant development in Australia’s approach towards student visas, as the named regions have traditionally provided a substantial proportion of Indian students studying in Australia.Concerns about the authenticity of visa applications and the integrity of the supporting documentation have been cited as the primary reasons for this decision. There has been a reported surge in dubious applications that have raised red flags among university authorities and immigration officials.
Both Federation University and Western Sydney University have stressed the importance of safeguarding their admission processes and maintaining the academic integrity of their institutions. The universities have also reaffirmed their commitment to international students, stating that they will continue to welcome applicants from other regions of India and the rest of the world.
Despite the ban, Australia continues to view India as an important source of international students, with many contributing significantly to academic research and the wider Australian economy. India is currently the second largest source of international students in Australia, second only to China.The Australian government and educational institutions are actively looking at ways to enhance the verification process and security measures to prevent visa fraud. The current pause on student recruitment from the specified Indian states is viewed as a temporary measure until more robust mechanisms can be put in place.The Australian High Commission in India has not yet commented on the universities’ decision. The repercussions of this decision on prospective Indian students and the bilateral educational relationship between India and Australia are yet to be fully understood.
