India edges past China to send more students to US in 2022: Report
Darpan News Desk IANS, 02 May, 2023 02:00 PM
New York, May 2 (IANS) International student enrollment in the US last year showed a substantial increase with India sending more students compared to China in 2022, says a US immigration report.
According to the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement's annual report, the number of students from China and India made Asia the most popular continent of origin.
"Comparable to the drop from calendar year 2020 to 2021, China sent fewer students in 2022 compared to 2021 (-24,796), while India sent more students (+64,300)," the report said.
In 2022, California hosted 225,173 international students -- the largest percentage of international students (16.5 per cent) of any US state, the report said, adding that all four regions in the country saw an increase in international student records from 2021 to 2022, with respective increases ranging from 8 to 11 per cent, the report said.
There were 276,723 active exchange visitors in the country in 2022, compared to 240,479 active exchange visitors in 2021 -- a 15 per cent increase.
The total number of SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) records for active F-1 and M-1 students was 1,362,157 in calendar year 2022 -- an increase of 10.1 per cent from calendar year 2021 and the largest number of records since calendar year 2019.
SEVIS is a web-based system that the Department of Homeland Security uses to maintain and manage information on non-immigrant students whose primary purpose for coming to the US is to study.
The number of international students enrolled at kindergarten through grade 12 (K12) schools increased 7.8 per cent from 2021 to 2022 (+3,887).
No K-12 schools hosted more than 700 international students in calendar year 2022, similar to calendar year 2021.
The report further said that there were 117,301 pre- and post-completion optional practical training (OPT) students with both an employment authorisation document (EAD) and who reported working for an employer in calendar year 2022, compared to 115,651 in calendar year 2021 a 1.4 per cent increase.
While directing officials to ensure safe return of the remaining students and other persons stuck in Ukraine, he said the state government is sparing no effort to help the distressed families in this hour of crisis.
Over 700 Indian students are stuck in Sumy and they are running out of basic necessities like food and water and they have been urging the Indian government to get them evacuated from there.
Over 7,400 Indian nationals are expected to be evacuated under the 'Operation Ganga' in the next two days, the government said on Thursday. The Centre has initiated an airlift operation to evacuate Indians, who have found their way to the neighbouring countries of war-torn Ukraine.
This advisory, prepared by the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, warns about aerial raids, missile attacks, artillery shelling, small arms and gunfire, grenade explosions and 'Molotov cocktails', including by local people/militia.
The flight IX-1202 with 183 passengers, including an infant, arrived at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport at around 5.40 a.m. The evacuees were received by Union Minister of State for Railways Raosaheb Danve-Patil with flowers and words of solace as they trooped out lugging their belongings.
"Indian students are being pushed out of trains, they are not allowed to board, if questioned they are being assaulted and guns are being pointed at them,". There are many incidents where Indians were asked to leave bunkers. Ukraninans are telling Indian students that India is not supporting them and why should they help them?
