Recession-hit countries pin hope on Indian students
NEW DELHI
It’s that time of the year when Indian students start working on their plans to study overseas. And this time, foreign campuses and
education authorities are anxiously waiting to see what the slowdown means for the number of Indians opting for overseas courses.
Till last year, these numbers to countries such as the US, Australia, Canada and the UK, touched record highs. In 2008, there were 97,000 Indian students enrolled in Australia even as the UK issued 30,000 student visas here. Meanwhile, India
became the leading source of foreign enrollment in the US, with a record 94,563 students during 2007-2008 . Similarly, about 3,000 Indian students went to Canadian institutions last year.
But things are not looking as bright this year with the global slowdown, and it is feared that many students may put off their overseas study plans. In fact, the total number of Indian student visa applications processed for the US has already shown a decline of 14.3% between October 1, 2008 and January 2009.