The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : ‘Just take deep breath, give honest answers’

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Oct 10, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

‘Just take deep breath, give honest answers’

Staff Reporter

Number of students opting to study in the U.S. has increased
There are about 80,000 students from India in the U.S.

BANGALORE: “Just take a deep breath and give honest answers to the questions posed by the visa officers. This will help us take the right decision about your application for student visa.” This piece of advice is from Lubna Khan, Vice-Consul, U.S. Consulate General, Chennai.

Answering some of the questions about F-1 student visa, Ms. Khan said many applicants appeared to be nervous while facing the three-minute interview. Some even parrot the answers their counsellors would have told them. “Such answers make it difficult for us to decide as to who is right and wrong… we interview about 120 students a day,” she said.

Ms. Khan was participating in the three-day anniversary celebrations of American Corner organised in Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan on Tuesday.

She said there has been a consistent increase in the number of students opting to study in American universities. Presently there are about 80,000 students from India. “This is 15 per cent more than the number last year,” she said. The American Consulate looks at the bona fides of the applicants.

“We look at what made you decide on the particular university on which you are ready to invest money. We are not asking you the university’s history,” she said. Dismissing the perception about discrimination on funding, Ms. Khan said: “We are not naïve. We believe that some do not have so much money. That should not deter you from telling us about student loans,” she said.

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