Australia assures 'no reduction' in opportunities for Indian students

India's MEA stated opportunities for Indian students in Australia are 'open and fair.' Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed Canberra assured there will be 'no reduction of opportunities' for genuine students amid visa delay concerns.

Amid reports of visa processing delays and restrictions on applications, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday said that the opportunities for Indian students to pursue education in Australia remain open and fair as Canberra has assured there will be "no reduction of opportunities for genuine students from India."

During a special briefing on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's three-day official visit to the country, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said, "We are aware that there have been concerns amongst Indian students regarding some of the changes that have taken place in assessment frameworks and in terms of the delays that some of the visa applications are subjected to. But I can tell you that throughout the day, in all the discussions with all of the leaders from the Australian side, we heard nothing but appreciation and the laying out of a framework for taking this aspect of our people-to-people exchanges even further."

However, he added that Australian authorities have assured that these changes would not reduce opportunities for genuine Indian students seeking to study in the country. "There was acknowledgement that maybe some of the processes have become a bit more onerous, but there was also assurance that this will not result in the reduction of opportunities for genuine students from India," the Foreign Secretary added.

Misri also dismissed reports suggesting that Indian students could face restrictions on applying to Australian universities, saying there was no truth to such claims. "I am also aware that in this context, there are some reports that people may be restricted from applying. I don't think there is any truth to those reports," he said.

He emphasised that education remains a key pillar of India-Australia people-to-people ties, with both sides committed to strengthening student exchanges. "The cooperation on the student exchange front and in so far as opportunities for Indian students to come and study here in Australia are concerned, we are reasonably assured that those opportunities remain open; they remain fair, and Australian authorities continue to extend a welcome to these aspirants from India," Misri said.

New Education and Research Collaborations

Earlier, as part of the education and research cooperation outcomes, Australia's Flinders University was handed a Letter of Intent (LoI) for setting up its campus in Bengaluru, enabling the establishment of its presence in India.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was also signed between the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the University of Melbourne to promote future collaboration, including joint research programmes in areas such as drug target identification, trainee programmes and faculty exchanges.

Additionally, a Letter of Approval was handed over to Victoria University to establish and operate its campus in Gurugram.

The two sides also advanced cooperation in the creative sector through an MoU between Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI), Kolkata, and Griffith Film School, providing a framework for joint academic activities, workshops, cinema projects, and short-term training programmes. (ANI)

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