Indian Students in the UK Alarmed by Surge in Anti-Immigrant Protests.
Indian students in the UK, along with those planning to arrive this year, are increasingly anxious due to a sharp rise in anti-immigrant protests. The UK, currently home to over 180,000 Indian students, is experiencing some of the worst riots in 13 years.
On Tuesday, India issued a travel advisory for its citizens traveling to the UK, advising caution following violent protests in several British cities.
Study abroad platforms such as Leverage.biz, Collegify, iSchoolConnect, and AECC Global have been inundated with panic calls and queries. These concerns are not only from current Indian students but also from those scheduled to begin their studies this year. Students typically start college in August and September.
“We are hearing about people going under house arrest. Students who are about to leave are reconsidering their plans,” said Adarsh Khandelwal, promoter at Collegify. “Many students are seeking deferrals from their respective colleges. While this should settle down in due course, parents do not want to compromise on safety.”
Akshay Chaturvedi, founder of Leverage.biz, noted a flood of calls from anxious parents in recent days. Executives said parents are worried about their children inadvertently getting caught up in the protests. Most study-abroad platforms have issued advisories on the current situation in the UK.
“We have already sent an advisory to all our students currently in the UK to avoid traveling to areas of conflict, just like the local police have,” said Chaturvedi. “Main concerns included queries around areas of conflict and the measures underway.”
A student from New Delhi, currently studying at King’s College in London, said her parents are anxious. “I am trying to reassure them,” she said, asking not to be named.
Parents of students already in the UK are calling multiple times to check on their well-being. One parent, whose child is studying in Manchester, said, “The news is terrifying, and I feel helpless being so far away.”
Several students using the Collegify platform for their study abroad plans told ET they are now apprehensive about going to the UK. Some are also exploring alternative countries or considering staying back in India, Khandelwal said.
Popular courses among Indian students include engineering and technology, business and management, computer science and IT, medicine and healthcare, law, and social sciences. Top British universities for Indian students include the University of Oxford, the University of Cambridge, Imperial College, the London School of Economics and Political Science, University College London, and the University of Edinburgh.
Vaibhav Gupta, chief marketing officer at iSchoolConnect, an AI-based app for study abroad, said his company expects a 20% decline in student intake for the UK this year. “The existing riots have fuelled their decisions even more. Already students are reconsidering the UK due to macroeconomic conditions and strict visa policy,” said Gupta.
“AECC acknowledges that there has been a noticeable dip in the confidence of students aspiring to study in the UK. The anxieties triggered by anti-immigration sentiments and protests are understandable,” said its director for South Asia and Africa, Ankur Agarwal.