US doubled visa issuance to Indian students in 2012

Patna: America is facilitating enrollment of more Indian students and issuance of student visas went up by 50 percent in 2012 as compared to the previous year.The country welcomed students particularly in high quality courses of mathematics, science and technology,Jonathan C Scott, Vice-Consul, Consular Section, US Embassy, New Delhi, told reporters here today.Asked if America was losing to Australia, the UK and Japan who have been attracting Indian students through liberal visa programmes and publicising courses, he replied in the negative saying 7,000 visas were provided to Indian students in 2012, around double than the previous year.[caption id="attachment_639169" align="alignleft" width="380"] Reuters[/caption]"More than one lakh Indian students are currently enrolled in US colleges and universities," he said.Scott, accompanied by Jimmy Mauldin, Unit Chief, Trade, Non-Financial Services and ICT, said touts were spreading misinformation about US visas to make money. This was the reason why he and Mauldin were visiting businesses and educational institutions to provide information about the visa policy and its processes.They praised the educational environment in Bihar which was facilitating the visit of more and more students from here to the US.Patna is among six places where there is an 'American Corner', a venture of the Public Affairs office of the US in collaboration with Indian Institute of Business Management.PTI