‘Parents can still visit UK under other visa arrangements’

In recent years, the United Kingdom has consistently been a top choice for Indian students seeking international education. According to the latest data from the UK Home Office, Indians continue to be the leading nationality in 2023, receiving over a quarter of study visas - 133,237 (including dependents), a 5 % increase on the previous year. Also, the UK has issued close to 500,000 sponsored UK study visas in June 2023, equivalent to a rise of 23% on the previous year, with Indians accounting for almost a third. The recent introduction of new student visa rules by the Rishi Sunak-led UK government, restricting international students from bringing their parents, partners, or children unless pursuing a PhD or postgraduate research courses starting January 1, has sparked concerns among the international student community, particularly among Indians.

Education experts anticipate that the recent visa policy changes will impact international students, but Rittika Chanda Parruck, Director Education India, British Council, offers a contrasting perspective. Speaking at the 47th International Kolkata Book Fair, where the UK is the focal theme country, she told Millennium Post, “Parents can still visit their children under other visa arrangements unaffected by the recent policy change. The impact is primarily on a small number of graduate students wishing to bring their spouses or children, a demographic that isn’t very large. The UK remains an attractive destination driven by the quality of its universities, and this, I believe, will be the overriding factor for those aspiring to study there.”

Following the University Grants Commission’s (UGC) guidelines for foreign universities to establish campuses in India, Deakin and Wollongong, two Australian universities, are set to commence operations in GIFT City, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, from the next academic year. Parruck mentioned a high possibility of UK universities exploring the option of setting up campuses in India. Addressing concerns about potential competition between foreign and Indian universities, Parruck expressed optimism. “India is a vast country with an outlook of accommodating 80 million seats for higher education in the coming years. With a young population and a growing GDP, students in India have diverse needs. I don’t believe any Indian university is likely to face significant vacancies for an extended period. The students will recognise the quality and suitability of universities for their educational needs,” she said.

Parruck emphasised the importance of transnational education and highlighted the impact of the Going Global Partnerships (GGP) programme, which has provided £2.8 million worth of grants to 53 UK universities and 71 Indian universities over the past three years. “There’s significant interest among Indian students to pursue quality education in the UK. However, we are aware that many students in India seek international experiences, and we encourage them to obtain a UK qualification and enhance their skills. Our focus is on various models of transnational education, and the GGP programme facilitates students studying in India to gain specialised knowledge from UK universities,” she said.