Revision as of 17:56, 21 June 2021

This is a collection of articles archived for the excellence of their content.

History

1883-2020

CHIDANAND RAJGHATTA, July 12, 2020: The Times of India

In 1883, a young woman named Anandibai Joshi sailed from Calcutta to America to study medicine in Pennsylvania and returned to become the first woman doctor in India. Five years later, Sumantrao Vishnu Karmarkar from Ahmednagar arrived in Connecticut for divinity studies at Hartford Seminary, finishing up at Yale while his wife Gurubai Karmarkar went to the same women’s medical school that Joshi had attended. They are two of the earliest recorded Indian students in the United States, which has remained an attractive destination for Indian knowledge-seekers for more than a century, despite Britain having held a pre-eminent position in India’s education matrix because of colonial ties.

Indeed, the entire pantheon of India’s founding fathers — Gandhi, Patel, Nehru, Jinnah among others — was academically minted in England. A few journeyed further afield to America. The best known among them is Bhimrao Ambedkar, the architect of India’s Constitution and the country’s first law minister, who came to the US in 1913 to study at Columbia University; and Jayaprakash Narayan, who studied at Berkeley in 1922-23.

Less well known among those who thrived in the groves of American academe — Manabendra Nath Roy, who lived in Palo Alto and NYC around 1915 and would go on to found Communist parties in Mexico and India; Dhan Gopal Mukherjee, who earned a degree in metaphysics from Stanford in 1914, and whose children’s novel Gay-Neck, the Story of a Pigeon, won the Newbery Medal for excellence in 1928; and Gobind Behari Lal, who also came to UC Berkeley in 1912 and went on to become the science editor for the San Francisco Examiner in the 1920s. He was the first journalist to use the term “Science Writer” in his byline, engendering specialised science reporting and sharing a Pulitzer Prize for it in 1937.

Even back in those days, some stayed back, and some returned to India (as they do now) amid a political row that saw early immigrant-hopefuls such as Bhicaji Balsara and Bhagat Singh Thind go to the highest court to gain US citizenship. Settling down in America was not an option for most; The Naturalization Act of 1790 made Asians ineligible for citizenship. Among the more colourful characters of that era was Hubli-born Hucheshwar Gurusidha Mudgal, who it was said earned “an almost absurd number of degrees” after enrolling at Columbia and NYU, before he became a managing editor at Negro World, and eventually returning to India to become a Member of Parliament.

It was only after 1965 that the number of Indians heading to the US ticked up from hundreds to thousands as Britain’s cachet and allure began to go down and America’s went up. This was partly on account of the Immigration Act of 1965 that removed the discrimination against Asians and opened the door for citizenship. By the 1980s, a trickle had gone from a steady stream to a torrent, bumping up from 20,000 in the 1980s to nearly 200,000 in 2020. Unlike the generation two decades on either side of India’s Independence, the new cohort mostly went to America with the intention of settling down.

Indeed, as far back as 1980s, one could travel across USA using a network of school and college alumni (with a supporting cast of distant cousins), as your columnist once did. The premise those days of settling down in America after graduating was based on a careful calibration of acquiring a degree in the shortest time at lowest cost and recouping the expense at the earliest by working in America. Indian and Chinese students nailed this template. Unlike with American students, whose college loans extend interminably and are repaid over a lifetime without any urgency, debt is anathema for Asians.

Back in the 80s, the joke was an Indian student’s life in America rotated between Advisor and Budweiser. Teachers loved Indians and Chinese because they were diligent, helpful, and never stepped out of line. Because they had no social life and never spent money, they graduated fast and cheap. With their reasonable command of English, Indian students also made good teaching assistants. All this made foreign students, particularly Asians, some of the most valued students. In time they ate the American’s lunch, many via H1B visas.

Numbers, contribution to the US economy

2010-17

i) The number of Indian students in the USA, 2010-17 and the annual growth rate;
ii) The US universities preferred by international students;
iii) The fields of study preferred by international students;
iv) The contribution of China, India and other major source countries to US earnings from foreign students.
From November 14, 2017: The Times of India

See graphic,

i) The number of Indian students in the USA, 2010-17 and the annual growth rate;
ii) The US universities preferred by international students;
iii) The fields of study preferred by international students;
iv) The contribution of China, India and other major source countries to US earnings from foreign students.

2011: Number of visa applicants on a rise

High cut-offs drive students to US

The Times of India, Aug 6, 2011

Indian students in America and number of visas issued, year-wise: 2006-10

The intimidating barriers for entry to India’s top colleges have had an unexpected fallout. If the rise in student visa applications this year is anything to go by, students, instead of downgrading their choices and settling for second- or third-best, are increasingly looking westwards and flooding American universities with admission applications.

Data released by the US embassy reveals that the number of Indian students who have applied for visas to study in the US is up 20% over last year’s. Education counsellors say they are seeing large crowds again, the vital difference being that the students seeking advice are much younger. While 24,500 Indian students were granted visas to join American universities last year, most went there for a masters and 14.5% joined a grad school. “But this year has seen a phenomenal rise in the number of undergraduate students,” said counsellor Pratibha Jain.

Officials at the American embassy confirmed that the number of student visa applications in India was already significantly higher than at this point last year. “The US has greatly expanded its consular staffing and educational outreach initiatives to ensure that prospective students can get the visa appointments and information they need,” said an official. “This effort includes significantly increased funding for the Education-USA advising centers.”

Jain said she had noticed a shift in the attitude of students. “Earlier, they all wanted to go to the famous 10 to 15 universities,” she said. “Now there is a range of good second-tier colleges they are willing to go to. Community colleges that charge about Rs 12-15 lakh annually are also on the Indian students’ radar now.” However, experts said it was too early to forecast the number of actual entrants to American universities this fall. “It depends on how many are accepted,” said an education consultant.

2013-14, an increase of 6%

After 3-yr lull, Indian students rediscover lure of US degrees

Chidanand Rajghatta The Times of India

Indian, Chinese and other students in US universities

But Are Distant Second To Chinese Pupils

The number of Indian students in the United States increased by 6% to 102,673 in the academic year 2013-2014, reversing a threeyear trend of their declining numbers at American campuses. But Chinese students continued to surge into the US, edging up to 300,000.

The annual `Open Doors' report on international student traffic in and out of the US shows that nearly one in three foreign students on US campuses is now from China (31%) compared to only around one in eight from India (12%). China, India, and Korea (8%) between them account for more than 50% of the 886,000 international students, who contributed $27 billion to the US economy .

The modest reversal in the Indian student inflow into the US belies earlier reports that there has been a 26% spike in their numbers. In fact, after peaking at nearly 105,000 in 2009-2010 academic year, Indian student population in the US dropped to 96,754 in 20122013 as other destinations like the UK, Canada, Australia, and Europe hawked their educational wares before the continuing US allure kicked in this year.

The US remains the preferred destination for foreign students, the report says, hosting more of the world's 4.5 million globally mobile college and university students than any other country in the world, with almost double the number hosted by the UK, the second leading host country .

Still, the Indian student inflow into the US story pales in comparison with that of the Chinese invasion over the past 15 years during which `Open Doors' has monitored the traffic. In 2000, China and India were not too far apart in terms of student traffic into the US, each having close to 45,000 students in the world's most favored des tination. At one point in the 1990s, there were more students in the US from India than from China. China has since pulled away .

There are now five times as many Chinese students on US campuses as were reported in Open Doors 2000; but only two times as many Indian students.

The last few years has also seen a massive spike in student inflow from Saudi Arabia (which, at 54,000 students) now stands 4th after China, India, and South Korea), mainly on the strength of government scholarships. Significantly, Pakistan, which used to send a large number of students to the US, now does not even feature in the Top 25.

New York University became the leading host university for international students this year, after 12 years during which University of Southern California was the leader. For the first time ever, four institutions broke the 10,000 mark: New York University , University of Southern California, University of Illinois -UrbanaChampaign, and Columbia University , which each hosted more than 10,000 international students.

2013-17

Number of Indian students going to US, 2013-17; The Times of India, May 12, 2017

See graphic:

Number of Indian students going to US, 2013-17

2013-19: numbers, trends

[[File: The Number of Indian students studying in the USA, 2013-19; Subjects chosen
Masters’ degrees.jpg| The Number of Indian students studying in the USA, 2013-19
Subjects chosen
Masters’ degrees
From: Hemali Chhapia, Nov 19, 2019: The Times of India|frame|500px]]

See graphic:

The Number of Indian students studying in the USA, 2013-19
Subjects chosen
Masters’ degrees

2015: 133,000 students, 3.6 bn

Sources:

1. Oneindia, Oneindia | 16th Nov, 2015

2. The Times of India, November 17, 2015

133,000 Indian students contribute $3.6 bn to US economy

Washington, Nov 16: With a whopping 29.4 percent increase, a record high of 132,888 Indian students studying in the US in 2014/15 academic year contributed $3.6 billion to the US economy, according to a new report.

India was the second leading place of origin for students coming to the US, making up 13.6 percent of the total international students in the country, according to the 2015 Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange, released Monday.

The report is published annually by the Institute of International Education in partnership with the State Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

While Open Doors does not compile region-wise data for their international students, Michael Evans, consular section chief, mentioned that Gujarat and Mah arashtra make up the biggest students' pool from the western region. “We have had the highest number of visa applications, including students' visas, from these two states in the western region,“ he said. The region also includes Chhattisgarh, Goa and MP.In the last one year, there has been a 56% rise in the students' visas issued in the country , when the western region saw a jump of 89%.

Science, technology , engineering, math (STEM) remained the most popular choice of study among Indian students. Of these, engineering was the top choice, with 37.5% students pursuing it, followed by mathcomputer with 31.4% students. International students' spending in all 50 states contributed more than $30 billion to the US economy in 2014 with students from India contributing $3.6 billion, the report said citing the US Department of Commerce.

China remains the top sending country, with almost twice the number of students in the US as India, but India's rate of growth and absolute increases outpaced China's 11 percent.

It was also the second year of rising numbers for India, following three years of declines.

India's 29.4 percent growth is the highest rate of growth for Indian students in the history of the Open Doors project, which spans back to 1954/55.

The last time India grew at a comparable rate (29.1) was in 2000/01 when the number of students from India exceeded 50,000 for the first time.

India, China and Brazil accounted for most of the growth in international students on US campuses as their numbers grew at the highest rate in 35 years, increasing by ten percent to a record high of 974,926 students in the 2014/15 academic year.

The number of Indian students in the US is more than double what it was 15 years ago in 1999/2000.

The majority of Indian students in the US study at the graduate level, according to the report. In 2014/15, their breakdown was: 12.4 percent undergraduate; 64 percent graduate students; 1.4 percent other; 22.1 percent OPT (Optional Practical Training).

In 2001/02, India became the top sender of students to the US and retained that position for eight years, through 2008/09.

In 2009/10, the rate of growth from India levelled off, and China overtook India as the top sender and retains that place for the sixth year in a row now, after eight years of double-digit increases.

In 2014/15, China and India together accounted for 67 percent of the increase in international students, and they now constitute nearly 45 percent of the total number of international students in US higher education.

Students from the top three countries of origin - China, India, and South Korea - now represent approximately 51 percent of the total enrolment of international students in the US, with the number from China and India increasing, and the numbers from South Korea declining by six percent.

In the 2013/14 academic year, 304,467 American students studied abroad for academic credit, an increase of five percent, the highest rate of growth since the 2007/08 academic year. India saw a five percent increase in students from the US.

-IANS

Source: www.oneindia.com

2015-16: India no.2 source, but highest growth (24.9%)

Hemali Chhapia, Desi students in US soar by 25%, highest among top 25 senders, Nov 15 2016 : The Times of India

Despite the spectre of xenophobia, internatio nal students in the United States crossed the 1-million mark, an increase of 7% over the previous year. And one in six of them in Trumpland is an Indian.

The rate of growth of Indian students, at almost 25%, is the highest among the top 25 places of origin for scholars in America. In all, 1.7 lakh students from India are studying in the US, making up 16% of the total international students. A majority of them study at the graduate level. In 2015-16, the breakdown was: 11.6% undergraduate; 61.4% graduate; 1.5% other; 25.5% OPT (Optional Practical Training). Last year, these students contributed $5billion to the American economy .

In absolute numbers, China remains the largest sender of international students to the US with a 31.5% share.Students from the top three senders -China, India and Saudi Arabia -now represent around 53% of all international student enrolment. In all, 10,43,839 foreign candi dates, representing 5% of the US' total higher education student population, contribute nearly $36 billion to the US economy , says the department of commerce.

Open Doors 2016 reports that about 75% of all international students receive the majority of their funds from sources outside the US, including personal and family sources, as well as assistance from their home country governments or universities.

The number of Chinese students grew by 8.1% in 201516, but those from India rose 24.9% in 2015-16, following a 29.4% growth the year prior and a 6.1% growth rate the year before that. Saudi Arabia replaced South Korea as the third-largest place of origin, though the increase in Saudi students, at 2.2%, has slowed.

“The Open Doors report shows that international students value the quality , diversity and strong reputation of US institutions, and recognise that these institutions provide opportunities to them not only in their education, but also in their careers,“ said Institute of International Education president Allan Goodman.

Despite the rise in international students, Open Doors also shows that the gender gap among international students has widened slightly over the past two years.

2015-18: graduate applications decline

2015-18: applications from India, China and other regions for graduate studies in the USA.
From: February 12, 2019: The Times of India

See graphic:

2015-18: applications from India, China and other regions for graduate studies in the USA.

2016-17/ percentage of increase 12.3% than 25% (2015-16)

Hemali Chhapia, November 14, 2017: The Times of India

Number of Indian students in the US, 2016-17
From: Hemali Chhapia, November 14, 2017: The Times of India

Though the US is still a much-favoured destination for Indian students, the percentage of increase in fresh enrolments by Indians halved in 2016-2017 to 12.3% from almost 25% the previous year, according to the latest Open Doors survey conducted by the Institute of International Education. The year 2014-15 too had seen robust growth of 29.4%.

In global terms, the US saw a decline in fresh enrolments in 2017, with nearly 10,000 fewer candidates signing up; the new student count of about 2.9 lakh represents a 3% decrease from the previous year.

For the third year in a row, the largest growth came from India, primarily at the graduate level and in optional practical training (OPT), which is temporary employment linked to a student’s area of study (eligible students can receive up to 12 months of OPT before and/or after completing studies). The Indian student population in the US is now 1.86 lakh.

50% of foreign students in US are from India, China

About 22,000 Indian students in the US are undergraduate students

(13.9% increase over the previous year), 1.05 lakh graduate students (3% rise), 57,132 doing their OPT (35%) and 2,259 who have enrolled for non-degree courses (a fall of 7.3%).

China sends the most students to the US, followed by India. But India’s rate of growth has still outpaced China’s (which is at 6.8%). Students from these two countries now represent almost 50% of the total enrolment of international students in the US.

While overall fresh enrolment has fallen, the number of international students studying on American campuses has increased. For the second consecutive year, US colleges and universities hosted more than 1million international students, thereby reaching 1.08 million.

The factors driving the slowing of growth include a mix of global and local economic conditions, and in some cases, expanded higher education opportunities at home and declining populations, stated the press statement from the IIE on the survey. “Much of the increase reported for the past couple of years can be attributed to more students pursuing OPT related to their academic fields after their degree studies in the US.

These flattening trends have a nearly two-year history, as students reflected in the current Open Doors report were already on campus in September 2016 for the fall term, and most had applied in 2015 and made their decisions in spring 2016.

While this year’s Open Doors report shows strong growth in the number of international students studying in the US in the past decade, with an increase of 85% since 2006/07 the new findings signal that the increase is 3% compared to increases of 7% to 10% for the previous three years.

2016> 2017: Fewer Indians joined US engg colleges

Shilpa Phadnis, Number of Indians joining US engg colleges dips, February 26, 2018: The Times of India

Indians enrolled for computer science, engineering at graduate level, 2016-17, and the decline
From: Shilpa Phadnis, Number of Indians joining US engg colleges dips, February 26, 2018: The Times of India

The number of students from India enrolled in graduate level programmes in computer science and engineering in the US declined by 21% from 2016 to 2017, according to a study by the National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP), based on data from the US Department of Homeland Security.

The NFAP said the number of international students enrolled in US universities declined by approximately 4% between 2016 and 2017, and more than half of this could be attributed to fewer individuals from India studying computer science and engineering at the graduate level in 2017. Indian graduate students completing degrees in science and engineering at US universities are a major source of talent for US firms.

The report of the NFAP, a non-profit, non-partisan public policy research organisation based in Virginia, indicated that the Donald Trump administration’s restrictive visa and work policies had affected the prospects of attracting and retaining bright foreign students making a significant contribution to the US economy.

The report said that the Narendra Modi government’s demonetisation move — which led to severe cash shortages — might have played a role in the sharp decline in Indian students. But it ruled this out as a major cause, considering that there was an increase (of about 740) in the number of Indian students going to the US for undergraduate programmes in computer science and engineering.

Students from India mostly go to the US for graduate programmes (which lead to a post-graduate degree) than for undergraduate programmes. The Ministry of External Affairs estimates that there were 206,708 Indian students studying in the US in 2017. “News reports and other information about the US limiting the ability of international students to gain employment after completing their studies could be discouraging enrolment,” the NFAP report said.

The report said: “The key to remember is that international students have more choices than ever before about where to study and US policies on immigration and international students have an impact on those choices. To the extent the US makes it more difficult to work after graduation or imposes other restrictive policies it is less likely that international students choose America as their destination,” it said.

The report said fewer international students coming to the US will have a serious impact on US students and US universities, as well as American companies.”

National Foundation for American Policy said the number of international students enrolled in US universities declined by approximately 4% between 2016 and 2017, and more than half of this could be attributed to fewer individuals from India studying computer science and engineering at the graduate level in 2017. Indian graduate students completing degrees in science and engineering at US universities are a major source of talent for US firms

2016> 2017: 27% decrease

Lubna Kably, Number of Indians granted US student visa dips by 27%, March 14, 2018: The Times of India

US Student visas, 2013-17.
US Student visas for Indians, 2016>17
From: Lubna Kably, Number of Indians granted US student visa dips by 27%, March 14, 2018: The Times of India

Desi Youths Heading To Canada, Oz As US Tightens Visa Regime

The results of a restrictive immigration policy are now clearly evident with the number of student visas issued by the Trump administration dropping, especially to those hailing from India and China.

Statistics for the year ending September 30, 2017, show an aggregate decline of 16% compared to the previous year, with 4.21 lakh student visas handed out against 5.02 lakh in a year ago, according to statistics released by the US department of state.

For Indian students, the drop is a sharper 27% with 47,302 visas being allotted in the same period as against 65,257 visas issued in the fiscal ended September 30, 2016, under the Obama presidency.

The data underscores the fact that Canada and Australia are emerging as alternative destinations. Tightening of H1-B visa policies (H1-B is a popular work visa for Indians) and also uncertainties relating to optional practical training programs (OPTs), which enable international students to work in the US for a short period, are attributed to this declining interest for higher education in the US.

In all, 3.93 lakh visas (F1 category) were granted to international students and 27,435 visas (F2 category) were granted to their spouses and children during the year ending September 30, 2017.

A nationality-wise breakup of each sub-segment is not available, with the department of state clubbing visas allotted to various nationalities under a single ‘F’ category. However, Asian students constituted the bulk and collectively, Indians and Chinese comprised 40% of the total.

During fiscal 2017, 2.86 lakh ‘F’ category of visas were issued to Asians (nearly 68% of total), which was a decline of nearly 20% over the previous year. For Indian students, it was a steep fall with numbers down by 27% – only 47,302 visas were issued to them in this period.

Student visa approvals had steadily increased over several years in the recent past, and it peaked to more than 6.5 lakh in 2015 before it began to dip. The year-onyear decline for 2016 as compared to 2015 was nearly 26%.

During the application season for work visas last year, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services carried out ‘extreme vetting’ of H1-B applications, especially where the wages were at entry level. As reported by TOI earlier, the question asked was whether the application was for a job that required specialisation (which is a requirement for the H1-B visa) and if so, why were the wages at entry level. Thus, it was challenging for companies to hire freshers through the H1-B route.

Further, a case is pending in US courts regarding the OPT program that enables international students to work in the US after their studies for a certain period. Towards the end of February, a US circuit court (which is a higher court) heard the appeal of the petition against OPT.

Pew Research Center, a US headquartered think tank, has come down heavily on the OPT mechanism. In a report, it points out that: “Although nominally OPT jobs are temporary, they can last up to 29 months. Further many of those working in the US under the OPT program go on to apply for H1-B visas to stay longer in the US.”

“Various challenges relating to work visas and a probable change in the OPT mechanism, sometime in the future, are factors which are prompting Indian students to explore universities in Canada and even Australia, says an immigration consultant.

2017: Only 4% of Indian students overstayed

Lubna Kably, Only 4% of Indian students in US overstayed their visas in 2017, August 15, 2018: The Times of India

Number of students from India and China in the USA, 2017
From: Lubna Kably, Only 4% of Indian students in US overstayed their visas in 2017, August 15, 2018: The Times of India

Given the large number of students from China and India that flock to US educational institutes each year, only a handful overstay their welcome. Of the total number of 16.62 lakh students scheduled to complete their studies during the 12-month period ended September 30, 2017, 4.15% overstayed – in other words, they did not depart from the US at the end of their study and practical training program. These statistics were released last week by the US Department of Homeland Security in its ‘Overstay Report’.

Nearly 1.3 lakh Indian students were expected to leave the US during the fiscal 2017 (period October 1, 2016, up to September 30, 2017), of whom 3.45% overstayed. The overstay rate for Chinese students was 3.33% (see table).

An overstay occurs if an individual lawfully admitted to the US for an authorised period remains in the country beyond this tenure. The report explains the authorised period can be a fixed period or can be for the duration of a certain activity – such as the period during which a student is pursuing studies and practical training. DHS identifies two types of overstays. If no departure is recorded, the individual falls in the category of ‘Suspected In-Country Overstays’. On the other hand, those whose departures are recorded after their authorised period expired fall in the bracket of ‘Out-of-Country Overstays’.

Collectively Indian and Chinese students comprise 40% of the total international students. During fiscal 2017, 1.16 lakh ‘F’ category visas were issued to Chinese students and 47,300 to Indian students. Exchange students get J category visas and those for vocational students are M category.

DHS has proposed to raise the visa fees for international students seeking F and M category of visas to USD350 from the existing USD200. Given current exchange rates, Indian students will have to pay approximately Rs 10,500 more. The hike is expected to be finalised in the coming month.

2018: Indian students bag 56% of job training slots

Lubna Kably, In US, Indian STEM students bag 56% of job training slots, October 29, 2018: The Times of India

Top 3 source countries for STEM-OPT students;
Top 5 employers for STEM-OPT students;
Top 5 US universities attracting foreign students;
Top 2 source countries for international students
From: Lubna Kably, In US, Indian STEM students bag 56% of job training slots, October 29, 2018: The Times of India

Nearly 50,507 Eligible For Post-Degree Optional Training In FY17

In dian students in the US hailing from STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) fields dominated the scene when it came to participating in the optional practical training (OPT) programme, under which they can work in the United States once they obtain their degrees.

They held 50,507 (or 56%) of the total STEM-OPT authorisations in fiscal 2017. Chinese students, with 21,705 (or 24%) of the total STEMOPT authorisations, were next in line. Only a handful of students from other nations had STEM-OPT authorisations for the fiscal ending September 30, 2017. To illustrate, only 500 odd Canadian students and about 400 from Mexico participated in OPT.

In the US, international students are eligible for a 12-month OPT. But those with STEM degrees are eligible for a 24-month OPT extension. The dominance of Indian students having STEPOPT authorisation is significant, given that overall the number of students from China is nearly double of those from India.

These statistics are part of the data-sets released by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), last week. The data is drawn from the Student and Exchange Visitor System (SEVIS) which houses information about international students and exchange visitors such as research scholars. Corresponding data of the previous period was not available. It appears to be a new initiative to boost greater transparency. Prominent companies hiring STEM-OPT students were Amazon, Google, Intel, Microsoft, Integra Technologies and Facebook.

There has been an increased focus on STEM-OPT placements by the Trump Administration. The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the immigration agency, continues to frown on arrangements that provide ‘labour for hire’ and those where a bona-fide employer-employee relationship cannot be demonstrated. However, there has been a beneficial development in recent months. In its edition dated August 19, TOI had reported that USCIS has reversed its earlier stand that international STEM students undergoing OPT cannot be placed at customer work sites. However, employers, even if they place STEMOPT students at customer work sites, need to meet their training obligations.

Overall, in aggregate, nearly 2.50 lakh or 16% of the total international students in the US were from India, placing it as the second largest country of origin, following China, during the fiscal year 2017. The number of students hailing from China, at 4.81 lakh (or 30% of the total), were almost twice the number from India. Nearly 46% of the international students are drawn from India and China. The total number of active international students during the 12-month fiscal ended September 30, 2017 stood at 15.90 lakh.

The release of such data is aimed at enhancing transparency about international students in the US, including where they are from and where they are studying, said Rachel Canty, deputy assistant director of the Student & Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) in an official release.

However, it should be noted that data is periodically drawn from SEVIS to account for the number of international students, and interim reports are periodically released. For instance, in April this year, ICE in its report said there were 12.02 lakh active F and M students in March 2018, a decrease of 0.5% if compared with March 2017. Nearly half of the F and M student population in US hailed from either China (with 3.77 lakh students) or India (with 2.12 lakh students). For the twelve month period ended March 2018, China sent 6,305 more students and India sent 2,356 more students, signifying a minuscule growth between 1-2%.

F visa is allotted to international students attending accredited educational institutions, M visa is a vocational student visa and the J visa more commonly known as exchange visitor’s visa, is given to say — research assistants.

2018: Growth in Indian student numbers slows

Yogita Rao & Vinamrata Borwankar, Indian students going to US sees slowest growth in 5 yrs, November 14, 2018: The Times of India

2013-18- the number of Indian students in the USA
From: Yogita Rao & Vinamrata Borwankar, Indian students going to US sees slowest growth in 5 yrs, November 14, 2018: The Times of India

Though the US remains the most popular foreign destination for Indian students, the annual increase in enrolment is down to 5.4% (2017-18 academic year) from 12.3%, due to a weakening rupee and unfriendly visa and immigration policies. In 2015-16 and the fiscal before that, the figure was 25-30%.

But US Still Remains Top Draw, Numbers Nearly Double Since 2013

A weakening rupee and unfriendly visa and immigration policies have dented the appeal of US universities in India. Though America remains the most popular foreign destination for Indian students, the annual increase in enrolment has dropped to 5.4% (2017-18 academic year) from 12.3%. In 2015-16, and the year before that, this figure was robust, between 25-30%.

The reason for the poor growth of late is that enrolment of Indian students in American graduate programmes (which account for the bulk of Indian students in the US) has dropped by 8.8% this year. The data is by the Open Doors Survey conducted by the Institute of International Education.

The top 25 American institutions hosting international students constitute 23% of the US’s overall international student strength. Experts say enrolment of Indian students in US universities will continue to decline in the years ahead as post-study work options dry up owing to the American government’s policies. Instead, attention will keep shifting to Canada and Australia, which have emerged as more affordable and friendlier study destinations for Indians.

Nevertheless, “the growth in students pursuing optional practical training (OPT) has been significant in the last few years”, says Harmeet Pental, COO, IDP Education.

TOI reported the trend recently. “If OPT is not considered in total enrolment, there is a 6.4% drop in admissions. OPT students this year number 75,390, who constitute about 40% of the 1.96 lakh Indian students in the US,” said Pental. He said that most engineering and computer science graduates, together constituting about 70% of Indian students in the US, prefer to complete their OPT.

Consultants helping students with admissions abroad said visa policies are looked at with apprehension by students. Kashyap Matani, co-founder at Yocket.in, an online community that connects students and university officials, said, “While the US is still a top preference for many, we get a lot of students who are looking at admissions in European countries like Germany or the Netherlands, which are providing cheaper options, apart from Canada and Australia. Even if US work visa policies don’t directly affect international students, there is much apprehension as the focus continues to be on job placements after finishing expensive courses abroad.”

Overall, the number of Indian students on US campuses has doubled over the last decade: from 94,563 in 2007-08 to 1.96 lakh in 2017-18.

Minister counselor for consular affairs, US embassy, Joseph Pomper, said, “In the past 10 years, the number of Indians going to the US has doubled. Indian students are looking for a great education and the US continues to offer this.” He said the embassy continues to see well-qualified Indians applying to study in the US as well as record attendance at US university fairs held across India.

2018-19: a 2.9% increase

Nov 18, 2019: The Times of India

Key Highlights

India and China make up 52% of the international student population in the US, with China the number one sender

Of a total revenue of $44.7 billion (a 5.5% increase over last year) that international students add to the US economy, China contributes $14.9 billion, and India $8.1 billion

NEW DELHI: The United States continues to be a popular destination for Indian students, though fewer are flying out now because of unfriendly visa and immigration policies. Indian student population in the US went up marginally (2.9%) from 1.96 lakh in 2017-18 to 2.02 lakh in 2018-19, according to a new report. However, this figure is a cumulative number, which covers students across batches who enrolled in American universities over several preceding years.

More indicative of the latest enrolment trends are the visa numbers released by the US state department, which suggest a steep slide in the number of Indian students opting for a US education or managing to get approvals.

The number of student visas to Indians—who form a sizeable subset of total international student population—fell more than 40% from 74,831 in 2015 to 42,694 in 2018, said the US state department. Even globally, the number of student visas issued by the US decreased by close to 40% between 2015 and 2018.

In all, the US now has 24,813 Indians at the undergraduate level, 90,333 in graduate programmes, 84,630 pursuing optional practical training (OPT), and 2,238 in non-degree courses. Decrease in admissions in business management was offset by a newfound fancy for maths and statistics, which leads to jobs in data analysis and artificial intelligence.

Coursewise, Indian students pursuing maths and computer science make up the largest chunk (37%), overtaking engineering (34%) for the first time, data from Opendoors by the Institute of International Education shows. Undergraduate numbers have grown 6.3% and graduate numbers have shrunk (-5.6%), reversing a popular trend of many decades when students would seek admission for a masters in the US after graduating in engineering.

Overall, the number of in-bound international students dipped in 2018-19 by 0.9% compared with 2017-18, which recorded a much sharper fall of 6.6%. Decline in fresh enrolment of international students continued in 2019-20 at the same pace (0.9%), according to data from the 2019 Fall International Student Enrolment Snapshot Survey.

2019: 2lakh Indian students, 75% of them in masters

Lubna Kably, May 2, 2019: The Times of India

Indian and Chinese students in the USA/ 2019
From: Lubna Kably, May 2, 2019: The Times of India

US has 2L desi students, 75% of them in masters

Of 11L Int’l Students, Half Are From India & China

Indian and Chinese citizens made up nearly half of the total 11.7 lakh international students in the United States as of March 2019. Other than the large numbers, though, students from the two countries share little in common, academics say.

Those from India dominated masters courses whereas a larger percentage of Chinese students had enrolled for bachelors degrees. Collectively, the number of “active” students from these countries, at 5.8 lakh, comprised 49.5% of the total international students who hold an F visa or an M visa for academic and vocational studies, respectively.

The data was released recently in its raw form by the US department of homeland security and was based on SEVIS figures. SEVIS or the student and exchange visitor information system is the database that DHS uses to maintain and manage information on international students. Nearly 75%, or 1.58 lakh of the total 2.09 lakh active students from India, had enrolled in masters courses. Of these, 11% were studying for a bachelors degree and 10% were pursuing a doctorate.

While the raw data does not dissect the numbers into study streams, various other studies and anecdotal references indicate that a significant number of students from India opt for the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) stream.

Typically, international students do seek to work in the host country for at least a few years. For those who aspire to work in the US, though, obtaining an H-1B work visa is challenging. Merely 85,000 such visas are issued annually with 20,000 reserved under the master’s cap. Plus, the selection process involves a lottery.

For the financial 2019-20 season, successful H-1B applicants would be permitted to work in the US from October at the earliest. The recently announced lottery reversal mechanism, was implemented for the first time, this season. This means, USCIS first conducted the selection process of all H-1B cap applications. Then, it conducted a selection for those eligible for the masters’ cap. This would give those with a US masters or a higher degree a better shot at getting selected through the lottery. “...Students who pursue higher levels of education will benefit statistically in the annual H-1B lottery from the new immigration regulations,” says David Nachman, managing attorney at NPZ Law Group.

Surprisingly, while the number of active students from China, at 3.7 lakh, far exceeded Indian, merely 31% of them had enrolled for a master’s. Nearly 1.4 lakh or 37% had opted for bachelor’s courses. According to media reports, lately Chinese students, especially those studying or planning to study robotics, aviation, engineering & hi-tech manufacturing—priority areas for the Made in China 2025 Industrial Policy—have been facing visa-related challenges. This is a fallout of the trade war between US and China.

SEVIS-based data also showed that the number of international students in the US is on the decline. At 11.7 lakh, student numbers on F and M visas had shrunk by 3% from March 2018. The number of students from India had shrunk marginally by 1% and those from China by 2%.

2019: Indians applying to business schools drop from 57 to 45%

Hemali Chhapia , Oct 18, 2019: The Times of India

Indian students in US business schools, 2015> 19
From: Hemali Chhapia , Oct 18, 2019: The Times of India

Reflecting a global trend, just 45% of Indian students who took GMAT sent their scores to US business schools this year, down from 57% for courses that started in 2015, shows data released by the Graduate Management Admission Council.

Around 48% of US programs have reported a fall in international applications this year, with 23% seeing steep declines. Overall, applications from abroad were down 13.7% at US programs that responded to both the 2018 and 2019 surveys. Half of the international students with GMAT scores who did not apply to the US said the bleak chance of obtaining a job there impacted their decision.

Others cited factors like the ability to obtain a student visa (48%), the political environment (47%), safety fears (37%), and discrimination concer ns (34%).

Globally, applications to MBA programs were down 6.9% year-on-year, and 52% programs reported declines than growth (40%) or stability (8%). The only exception was Canada, where, for the third consecutive year, a majority of programs saw more applications. The UK improved its showing, with 61% MBA programs getting more applications in 2019 over the previous year.

Interestingly, large, highly ranked, full-time, two-year MBA programs in US saw the steepest declines. As many as 47% of the top 50 programs said international applications were down by 21% or more compared with last year. However, the drop in candidates with a self-reported GMAT score of 700 or above—meaning a good shot at highly ranked programs—to the US was milder, falling from 69% in 2017 to 62% in the first half of 2019.

“Quality business schools are emerging around the world and the competition for talent is fierce, the sign of a vibrant marketplace,” said Sangeet Chowfla, CEO of GMAC.

In India, as well as China, domestic applications drove a positive admissions cycle. Among 28 responding programs in India, most reported either growth (50%) or stability (11%), but the percentage of programs reporting growth fell for the second straight year.

The Canada success story this year is built on the strength of both global and domestic applications. Half of the programs reported international application growth, including 26% that saw a steep rise.

2019-20

Hemali Chhapia, November 17, 2020: The Times of India

Indian and other foreign students in the USA, 2018-20
From: Hemali Chhapia, November 17, 2020: The Times of India

Record 43% fall in new foreign students in US

Indians joining US univs fell by 4.4% in ’19: Survey

In 2019, data captured by Open Doors survey revealed that enrolment from India declined by 4.4% after a 2.9% rise the previous academic year. The slide is pronounced in the graduate, non-degree and optional practical training (OPT) numbers, with a small increase of 0.9% in the undergraduate numbers. Indians enrolling in American graduate programmes, which account for the largest slice of Indian students in the US, dropped by 5.7%. The highest fall — 21.4% — was from non-degree courses and 4.1% came from OPT — practical work experience after a degree programme, for up to 36 months.

In all, the US now has 25,032 Indians at the undergraduate level, 85,160 in graduate programmes and 81,173 pursuing OPT, apart from 1,759 doing non-degree courses. Indian students contributed $7.7 billion to the US economy. Falling interest in business management was offset by the new-found fancy for maths and statistics, which lead to jobs in data analysis and AI.

For a fifth consecutive year, the US hosted more than one million international students (1,075,496) during the 2019/2020 academic year. Global data indicates a slight decline (1.8%) in the number of international students in the US during the 2019/2020 academic year, after a tiny rise of 0.05% in 2018/19. New international student enrolment numbers stood at 2,67,712, a 0.6% decline, but a marked improvement from the 7% decline of the previous two years. According to the US commerce department, international students contributed $44 billion to the US economy in 2019. China, followed by India and South Korea, sent the largest numbers of students to the US.

Unfriendly visa and immigration policies have steadily had an impact on students flying out to the US for an education. Of the 25 top sending nations, 19 recorded declines in growth rate as compared to last year.

Fitting in

As in 2019

Soundarya Balasubramani, Why Indian students in US find it hard to fit in, March 28, 2019: The Times of India

Top five origin countries of students in the USA
From: Soundarya Balasubramani, Why Indian students in US find it hard to fit in, March 28, 2019: The Times of India

Advanced-degree holders in the USA, 2014-18
From: Soundarya Balasubramani, Why Indian students in US find it hard to fit in, March 28, 2019: The Times of India

In November 2016, during an end-semester lab examination, I sneaked a peek at my cellphone to look at the election results. It was clearly edging towards Donald Trump. Fear struck me. I imagined a future where I would be graduating with no job due to the stringent immigration laws that Trump would go on to impose. Today, I realize my fear of being jobless was warranted, however, the reason was not. Little did I know the real ordeal were not alleged laws and legislation. The Immigration Situation

The US is one of the top graduate school destinations for international students because of its quality education, top-notch infrastructure and arguably open labour market. It hosted about 10 lakh students in 2017 with the UK and China bagging second and third place.

Indian students continue to be the second leading community among students, rising to nearly 1,86,000 in 2017. And Tamil Nadu constitutes a fair share of the pie. For these students, the coveted visa category is the H-1B as it permits stay in the US for six years while employed, and extends it indefinitely once an application for a green card is filed. In the past 16 years, the supply of the allotted 85,000 visas has been exhausted every year and since 2014, it did not last more than five days of accepting applications.

The good news came with a new ruling by Trump in 2018 that tipped the scale towards master’s degree holders. From 2019, the order of filing will be reversed. Everyone, including master’s students, will first be considered in the 65,000 visa category. The master’s students who are left out will get a second chance in the next 20,000 visa category. This increases the probability of selection from 51% to 55% for master’s students.

The bad news is, Trump’s push to ‘hire Americans’ has increased the number of visa denials, which prolong the process and cost more money for employers. In spite of this more than 190,098 visas were filed in 2018 — a strong message that foreign talent is valued by American employers.

The Real Elephant in The Room

When we hear about lack of jobs in the US, we are tempted to blame the immigration restrictions due to its conspicuous nature. Dig a little deeper and you uncover more symptoms.

While Indian universities tend to have placement committees responsible for roping in companies and recruiting students, universities in the US are yet to recognize the term ‘placement’. Unlike the mass recruitment that happens in India, securing a job in the US involves a few domino cards to fall at once — networking with employees, attending career fairs, securing an internship and acquiring specialized skills.

There is not just a cultural shift, but a psychological shift as well. "Learning to drive, cook, manage finances, taking care of a household unaided are some of the things I would have wanted to pick up if I could go back in time," says Akshay Jha, who has recently completed his master’s from the Cornell University. Research shows universities need to understand better the barriers (international) students face to enforce more effective transition programmes. Some of the problems of the students include cultural misunderstanding, financial and social support, and inclusion in the local community. Studies have found stress and lack of social support lead to psychological issues.

What Can You Do Differently

Marcelo Barros, founder of The International Advantage, which offers job search workshops, says, "At least 90% of the job search process is well understood by international students. There are subtleties that can go unnoticed and it is the remaining 10% that students need to focus on. For example, candidates who get hired understand the job responsibilities of the position they’re applying for beyond what is written in the job description. International students often find it strange that by speaking about an employer’s challenges during an interview — and providing solutions to them — may make them more competitive candidates in the eyes of employers."

PhDs

2005-15

The number of Indians (and other nationals) who received science & engineering, and other, PhDs in the USA; The Times of India, August 20, 2017

See graphic:

The number of Indians (and other nationals) who received science & engineering, and other, PhDs in the USA.

STEM-OPT

2016-17

Lubna Kably, OPT for foreign students does not harm Americans, says US-based think-tank, March 14, 2019: The Times of India

No. of STEM-OPT students ( %age to total), presumably as in 2016-17
From: Lubna Kably, OPT for foreign students does not harm Americans, says US-based think-tank, March 14, 2019: The Times of India

The National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP), a US based nonprofit research entity, in its recent report has said there is no evidence that foreign students participating in the Optional Practical Training (OPT) reduce job opportunities for Americans. Foreign students are eligible for a 12-month OPT under which they can work in the US. Those who have completed their degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) are eligible for applying for a further OPT extension of 24 months.

The regulatory agenda of the Trump administration has from time to time indicated a proposed overhaul of the OPT programme to reduce fraud and to protect the interest of American workers. NFAP points out that the OPT is a win-win for foreign students and US employers. It enables employers to judge if a foreign student is a good fit before sponsoring him or her for a costly and scarce H-1B work visa. The OPT programme gives foreign students (and their employers) multiple shots at obtaining an H-1B visa, particularly if they are eligible for a STEM extension.

Based on statistical evidence, the report shows that foreign students working in the US via the OPT programme account for a small share of new graduates — ranging from one to 13% of STEM graduates, depending on the degree levels and constitute a far smaller share of US workers. In fiscal 2016 (year ending September 30, 2016), OPT participants comprised of less than 1% of all workers with a bachelor’s degree in a STEM field.

The OPT programme requires that foreign students work in a job directly related to their major, so a better gauge of the relative size of the OPT programme may be the number of foreign students doing OPT as compared to the number of workers in STEM occupations. If this parameter is chosen, OPT participants comprised about 2.5% of workers in STEM occupations with at least a bachelor’s degree, the report explained.

Rajiv S Khanna, managing attorney at Immigration.com told TOI: “Anecdotally, from our own clients, we see difficulty in hiring qualified people in STEM professions. Several of our clients have opened offices in Canada, because US immigration policies are implemented by the administration inconsistently... We can see no rationale for any change in policy making it more difficult for US trained students to remain in the USA and for US businesses to hire and retain qualified people.”

Subjects,universities that Indian students prefer

2013-15

November 16, 2016: The Times of India

Indian and other international students at US universities, 2013-15
i) what they studied,
mainly at which universities
iii) the countries that they mainly came from,
iv) which subjects grew more popular.
November 16, 2016: The Times of India

See graphic:

Indian and other international students at US universities, 2013-15
i) what they studied,
mainly at which universities
iii) the countries that they mainly came from,
iv) which subjects grew more popular.

Every sixth international student in the US is an Indian. They comprise almost 16% of the international student community and mostly study science, technology, engineering and mathematics

@@ Line 9: / Line 9: @@
-=A=
-=Cyclones in India==
-==1891-2012==
-[http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31808&articlexml=STATOISTICS-14102014011024  ''The Times of India'']
-[[File: cyclonic.jpg |Cyclones in India, 1891-2012 <br/> From: [http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31808&articlexml=STATOISTICS-14102014011024  ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
+=History=
+==1883-2020==
+[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2020%2F07%2F12&entity=Ar01603&sk=1C415FA3&mode=text  CHIDANAND RAJGHATTA, July 12, 2020: ''The Times of India'']
+In 1883, a young woman named Anandibai Joshi sailed from Calcutta to America to study medicine in Pennsylvania and returned to become the first woman doctor in India. Five years later, Sumantrao Vishnu Karmarkar from Ahmednagar arrived in Connecticut for divinity studies at Hartford Seminary, finishing up at Yale while his wife Gurubai Karmarkar went to the same women’s medical school that Joshi had attended. They are two of the earliest recorded Indian students in the United States, which has remained an attractive destination for Indian knowledge-seekers for more than a century, despite Britain having held a pre-eminent position in India’s education matrix because of colonial ties.
-'''See graphic''':
+Indeed, the entire pantheon of India’s founding fathers — Gandhi, Patel, Nehru, Jinnah among others — was academically minted in England. A few journeyed further afield to America. The best known among them is Bhimrao Ambedkar, the architect of India’s Constitution and the country’s first law minister, who came to the US in 1913 to study at Columbia University; and Jayaprakash Narayan, who studied at Berkeley in 1922-23.
-''Cyclones in India, 1891-2012''
+Less well known among those who thrived in the groves of American academe — Manabendra Nath Roy, who lived in Palo Alto and NYC around 1915 and would go on to found Communist parties in Mexico and India; Dhan Gopal Mukherjee, who earned a degree in metaphysics from Stanford in 1914, and whose children’s novel Gay-Neck, the Story of a Pigeon, won the Newbery Medal for excellence in 1928; and Gobind Behari Lal, who also came to UC Berkeley in 1912 and went on to become the science editor for the San Francisco Examiner in the 1920s. He was the first journalist to use the term “Science Writer” in his byline, engendering specialised science reporting and sharing a Pulitzer Prize for it in 1937.
+Even back in those days, some stayed back, and some returned to India (as they do now) amid a political row that saw early immigrant-hopefuls such as Bhicaji Balsara and Bhagat Singh Thind go to the highest court to gain US citizenship. Settling down in America was not an option for most; The Naturalization Act of 1790 made Asians ineligible for citizenship. Among the more colourful characters of that era was Hubli-born Hucheshwar Gurusidha Mudgal, who it was said earned “an almost absurd number of degrees” after enrolling at Columbia and NYU, before he became a managing editor at Negro World, and eventually returning to India to become a Member of Parliament.
-==1976, 1985, 2010-2019==
+It was only after 1965 that the number of Indians heading to the US ticked up from hundreds to thousands as Britain’s cachet and allure began to go down and America’s went up. This was partly on account of the Immigration Act of 1965 that removed the discrimination against Asians and opened the door for citizenship. By the 1980s, a trickle had gone from a steady stream to a torrent, bumping up from 20,000 in the 1980s to nearly 200,000 in 2020. Unlike the generation two decades on either side of India’s Independence, the new cohort mostly went to America with the intention of settling down.
-[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL/2019/11/13&entity=Ar00102&sk=1998A841&mode=text  Neha Madaan, Nov 13, 2019: ''The Times of India'']
-[[File: Cyclone Bulbul left a trail of destruction in West Bengal and Odisha in November 2019.jpg|Cyclone Bulbul left a trail of destruction in West Bengal and Odisha in November 2019 <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL/2019/11/13&entity=Ar00102&sk=1998A841&mode=text  Neha Madaan, Nov 13, 2019: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
+Indeed, as far back as 1980s, one could travel across USA using a network of school and college alumni (with a supporting cast of distant cousins), as your columnist once did. The premise those days of settling down in America after graduating was based on a careful calibration of acquiring a degree in the shortest time at lowest cost and recouping the expense at the earliest by working in America. Indian and Chinese students nailed this template. Unlike with American students, whose college loans extend interminably and are repaid over a lifetime without any urgency, debt is anathema for Asians.
-The number of cyclones and severe cyclones in the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal has risen by nearly 11% in the last decade, with an alarming 32% increase recorded in the last five years, data from the India Meteorological Department reveals.
+Back in the 80s, the joke was an Indian student’s life in America rotated between Advisor and Budweiser. Teachers loved Indians and Chinese because they were diligent, helpful, and never stepped out of line. Because they had no social life and never spent money, they graduated fast and cheap. With their reasonable command of English, Indian students also made good teaching assistants. All this made foreign students, particularly Asians, some of the most valued students. In time they ate the American’s lunch, many via H1B visas.
-Back-to-back cyclones have caused havoc and disrupted weather in recent months. But the sharp rise in the past five years in comparison with previous decades could be an alarming pointer to the calamitous effects of global warming, weather officials said.
+=Numbers, contribution to the US economy=
-There were seven cyclones each in 2018 and 2019, the highest since 1985. Similarly, six severe cyclones each hit India in 2018 and 2019, the highest since 1976, when seven were recorded. This year, extremely severe cyclone Fani devastated Odisha and parts of West Bengal in April. Vayu, another very severe cyclone, delayed the monsoon’s onset over parts of the country.
+==2010-17==
+[[File: The number of Indian students in the USA, 2010-17 and the annual growth rate; The US universities preferred by international students; The fields of study preferred by international students; The contribution of source countries.jpg|i) The number of Indian students in the USA, 2010-17 and the annual growth rate; <br/> ii) The US universities preferred by international students; <br/> iii) The fields of study preferred by international students; <br/> iv) The contribution of China, India and other major source countries to US earnings from foreign students. <br/> From [http://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2017%2F11%2F14&entity=Ar00602&sk=CB430AD6&mode=text  November 14, 2017: '' The Times of India ''] |frame|500px]]
-''' ‘On average, four cyclones hit India each yr this decade’ '''
+'''See graphic, '''
-On average, four cyclones affected India each year during this decade (2010-2019), higher than the average of three in the previous decades since 1980, Anupam Kashyapi, head of weather, India Meteorological Department, Pune, told TOI.
+''i) The number of Indian students in the USA, 2010-17 and the annual growth rate; <br/> ii) The US universities preferred by international students; <br/> iii) The fields of study preferred by international students; <br/> iv) The contribution of China, India and other major source countries to US earnings from foreign students.''
-“The average number of cyclones for the last five years is five and that for severe cyclones around three, indicating an increase in the number and severity of cyclonic storms in recent years,” he added.
+==2011: Number of visa applicants on a rise==
+''' High cut-offs drive students to US '''
-Cyclones and its variants this year have been affecting life and property in India. The first to hit India this year was cyclone Pabuk which emerged in the north Indian Ocean region over Andaman Sea in January. It did not cause any devastation.
+The Times of India, Aug 6, 2011
-Fani, which formed over east-central equatorial Indian Ocean and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal, from April 26 to May 4 was the most intense cyclonic storm crossing Odisha coast during the pre-monsoon season since 1965. Some areas are still coping with the devastation Fani caused.
-Vayu, which formed from June 10 to June 17 in the Arabian Sea, depleted all the moisture from the south peninsula and parts of Maharashtra after the monsoon had set over Kerala. “The storm significantly delayed the monsoon in these parts as its current took time to recover,” Kashyapi said.
+[[File: Indian students in America.jpg|Indian students in America and number of visas issued, year-wise: 2006-10|frame|500px]]
-Kyarr in October brought heavy to very heavy rain along the west coast in Karnataka, Maharashtra, and south Gujarat while Maha did something similar towards the end of October and early November when it usually does not rain with such intensity.
+The intimidating barriers for entry to India’s top colleges have had an unexpected fallout. If the rise in student visa applications this year is anything to go by, students, instead of downgrading their choices and settling for second- or third-best, are increasingly looking westwards and flooding American universities with admission applications.
-The most recent very severe cyclonic storm Bulbul took a toll on life and property in southern parts of Gangetic West Bengal in the Sundarbans.
+Data released by the US embassy reveals that the number of Indian students who have applied for visas to study in the US is up 20% over last year’s. Education counsellors say they are seeing large crowds again, the vital difference being that the students seeking advice are much younger. While 24,500 Indian students were granted visas to join American universities last year, most went there for a masters and 14.5% joined a grad school. “But this year has seen a phenomenal rise in the number of undergraduate students,” said counsellor Pratibha Jain.
-[[Category:Climate/ Meteorology|C CYCLONIC WINDS: INDIACYCLONIC WINDS: INDIACYCLONIC WINDS: INDIACYCLONIC WINDS: INDIACYCLONIC WINDS: INDIACYCLONIC WINDS: INDIA
+Officials at the American embassy confirmed that the number of student visa applications in India was already significantly higher than at this point last year. “The US has greatly expanded its consular staffing and educational outreach initiatives to ensure that prospective students can get the visa appointments and information they need,” said an official. “This effort includes significantly increased funding for the Education-USA advising centers.”
-CYCLONIC WINDS: INDIA]]
-[[Category:India|C CYCLONIC WINDS: INDIACYCLONIC WINDS: INDIACYCLONIC WINDS: INDIACYCLONIC WINDS: INDIACYCLONIC WINDS: INDIACYCLONIC WINDS: INDIA
-CYCLONIC WINDS: INDIA]]
-[[Category:Pages with broken file links|CYCLONIC WINDS: INDIACYCLONIC WINDS: INDIACYCLONIC WINDS: INDIA
-CYCLONIC WINDS: INDIA]]
-=In brief=
+Jain said she had noticed a shift in the attitude of students. “Earlier, they all wanted to go to the famous 10 to 15 universities,” she said. “Now there is a range of good second-tier colleges they are willing to go to. Community colleges that charge about Rs 12-15 lakh annually are also on the Indian students’ radar now.” However, experts said it was too early to forecast the number of actual entrants to American universities this fall. “It depends on how many are accepted,” said an education consultant.
-[http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31808&articlexml=STATOISTICS-14102014011024  The Times of India ]
-'''See graphic'''
+==2013-14, an increase of 6%==
+'''After 3-yr lull, Indian students rediscover lure of US degrees'''
-The India Meteorological Department (IMD) classifies cyclonic winds into three categories--cyclonic disturbance (maximum wind speed 59kmhr), cyclones (wind speed 60 to 90 kmhr) and severe cyclones (wind speed 90 kmhr or more). Cyclone data for the years 1891 to 2012 shows a seasonal pattern. The mildest of these turbulent wind systems -cyclonic disturbances -peak in the monsoon season with an average of six to seven such incidents a year. The probability of cyclones and severe cyclones, on the other hand, is highest in the post-monsoon months. The data also shows that on an average, the Bay of Bengal is hit by at least one severe cyclone and a minimum of two cyclones each year
+Chidanand Rajghatta
+[http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31808&articlexml=After-3-yr-lull-Indian-students-rediscover-lure-18112014017023  ''The Times of India'']
-==The cyclone season==
+[[File: Indian Students United States Degrees .jpg|Indian, Chinese and other students in US universities |frame|500px]]
-[https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/cyclone-titli-upgraded-to-very-severe-storm-what-cyclone-categories-mean/story-UqJVclvMfjalDgyX3jUuiN.html  October 10, 2018: ''Hindustan Times'']
+''But Are Distant Second To Chinese Pupils''
-The country’s cyclone season runs from April to December, with severe storms often causing dozens of deaths, evacuations of tens of thousands of people from low-lying villages and wide damage to crops and property.
+The number of Indian students in the United States increased by 6% to 102,673 in the academic year 2013-2014, reversing a threeyear trend of their declining numbers at American campuses. But Chinese students continued to surge into the US, edging up to 300,000.
-==Categorisation of cyclones==
+The annual `Open Doors' report on international student traffic in and out of the US shows that nearly one in three foreign students on US campuses is now from China (31%) compared to only around one in eight from India (12%). China, India, and Korea (8%) between them account for more than 50% of the 886,000 international students, who contributed $27 billion to the US economy .
-[https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/cyclone-titli-upgraded-to-very-severe-storm-what-cyclone-categories-mean/story-UqJVclvMfjalDgyX3jUuiN.html  October 10, 2018: ''Hindustan Times'']
+The modest reversal in the Indian student inflow into the US belies earlier reports that there has been a 26% spike in their numbers. In fact, after peaking at nearly 105,000 in 2009-2010 academic year, Indian student population in the US dropped to 96,754 in 20122013 as other destinations like the UK, Canada, Australia, and Europe hawked their educational wares before the continuing US allure kicked in this year.
-''Here’s how cyclones are categorised and what they mean:''
+The US remains the preferred destination for foreign students, the report says, hosting more of the world's 4.5 million globally mobile college and university students than any other country in the world, with almost double the number hosted by the UK, the second leading host country .
-'''Categories of Cyclones'''
+Still, the Indian student inflow into the US story pales in comparison with that of the Chinese invasion over the past 15 years during which `Open Doors' has monitored the traffic. In 2000, China and India were not too far apart in terms of student traffic into the US, each having close to 45,000 students in the world's most favored des tination. At one point in the 1990s, there were more students in the US from India than from China. China has since pulled away .
-'''Category 1''': Wind and gales of 90-125 kph, negligible house damage, some damage to trees and crops.
+There are now five times as many Chinese students on US campuses as were reported in Open Doors 2000; but only two times as many Indian students.
-'''Category 2''': Destructive winds of 125-164 kph. Minor house damage, significant damage to trees, crops and vehicles, risk of power failure.
+The last few years has also seen a massive spike in student inflow from Saudi Arabia (which, at 54,000 students) now stands 4th after China, India, and South Korea), mainly on the strength of government scholarships. Significantly, Pakistan, which used to send a large number of students to the US, now does not even feature in the Top 25.
-'''Category 3''': Very destructive winds of 165-224 kph. Some roof and structural damage, some caravans destroyed, power failure likely.
+New York University became the leading host university for international students this year, after 12 years during which University of Southern California was the leader. For the first time ever, four institutions broke the 10,000 mark: New York University , University of Southern California, University of Illinois -UrbanaChampaign, and Columbia University , which each hosted more than 10,000 international students.
-'''Category 4''': Very destructive winds of 225-279 kph. Significant roofing loss and structural damage, vehicles blown away, widespread power failures.
+==2013-17==
+[[File: Number of Indian students going to US, 2013-17.jpg|Number of Indian students going to US, 2013-17; [http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Gallery.aspx?id=12_05_2017_022_035_008&type=P&artUrl=Anti-immigrant-rhetoric-to-hit-US-univs-financially-12052017022035&eid=31808 The Times of India], May 12, 2017 |frame|500px]]
-'''Category 5''': Very destructive winds gusts of more than 280 kph. Extremely dangerous with widespread destruction.
+'''See graphic''':
-==A backgrounder==
+''Number of Indian students going to US, 2013-17''
-[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2018%2F11%2F19&entity=Ar02512&sk=EFFE95EC&mode=text  Why we don’t have hurricanes in India, November 19, 2018: ''The Times of India'']
-[[File: Cyclones in India- a backgrounder.jpg|Cyclones in India- a backgrounder <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2018%2F11%2F19&entity=Ar02512&sk=EFFE95EC&mode=text  Why we don’t have hurricanes in India, November 19, 2018: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
+==2013-19: numbers, trends==
+[[File: The Number of Indian students studying in the USA, 2013-19; Subjects chosen <br/> Masters’ degrees.jpg| The Number of Indian students studying in the USA, 2013-19 <br/> Subjects chosen <br/> Masters’ degrees <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F11%2F19&entity=Ar00400&sk=0E4D59D4&mode=text  Hemali Chhapia, Nov 19, 2019: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
-After Titli and Luban, now Gaja. And that’s just in 2018. Cyclones of devastating impact often have the most disarming names. But who names cyclones and why is it hurricane Katrina but cyclone Nilofar?
+'''See graphic''':
+'' The Number of Indian students studying in the USA, 2013-19 <br/> Subjects chosen <br/> Masters’ degrees ''
-'''What is the difference between hurricane, typhoon and cyclone?'''
+[[Category:China|S INDIAN STUDENTS IN THE USA
+INDIAN STUDENTS IN THE USA]]
+[[Category:Diaspora|S INDIAN STUDENTS IN THE USA
+INDIAN STUDENTS IN THE USA]]
+[[Category:Education|S INDIAN STUDENTS IN THE USA
+INDIAN STUDENTS IN THE USA]]
+[[Category:India|S INDIAN STUDENTS IN THE USA
+INDIAN STUDENTS IN THE USA]]
+[[Category:Pages with broken file links|INDIAN STUDENTS IN THE USA
+INDIAN STUDENTS IN THE USA]]
+[[Category:USA|S INDIAN STUDENTS IN THE USA
+INDIAN STUDENTS IN THE USA]]
-They are all tropical cyclones, but different basins use different nomenclature. Tropical cyclones are formed in eight basins — Northern Atlantic, Northeastern Pacific, North Central Pacific, Northwestern Pacific, Northern Indian Ocean, Southwestern Indian Ocean, South and Southwestern Pacific and Southeastern Indian Ocean. In the North Atlantic Ocean, Northwest Pacific Ocean east of the International Date Line and South Pacific Ocean, they are called hurricanes. Typhoon is the name given to a tropical cyclone formed in the Northwest Pacific Ocean west of the dateline. In southwest Pacific Ocean and southeast Indian Ocean, it’s called a severe tropical cyclone. Similarly, tropical cyclones in the north Indian Ocean and southwest Indian Ocean are called severe cyclonic storm and tropical cyclone, respectively.
+==2015: 133,000 students, 3.6 bn==
+'''Sources:'''
+. [http://aircel.websiteforever.com/nd/?pid=806675&wsf_iref=tal_home--HP-SPT-News ''Oneindia''], Oneindia | 16th Nov, 2015
-'''How is a cyclone formed?'''
+. [http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31808&articlexml=Indian-students-in-US-up-record-294-17112015001056 ''The Times of India''], November 17, 2015
-A tropical cyclone is a storm system that is characterised by a lowpressure centre that produces strong winds and heavy rain. A tropical cyclone feeds on heat released by the condensation of moist air. The latent heat gets converted into kinetic energy and feeds the strong winds emerging out of it. Because of its warm centre, it’s often called a warm core storm system. Cyclonic storms have counterclockwise rotation in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise rotation in the Southern Hemisphere. Developed over warm water bodies, like oceans and seas, they lose their strength once they move over land. Apart from ( their devastating nature, they help in the global atmospheric circulation mechanism by carrying heat and energy away from the tropics towards temperate latitudes.
+''' 133,000 Indian students contribute $3.6 bn to US economy '''
+Washington, Nov 16: With a whopping 29.4 percent increase, a record high of 132,888 Indian students studying in the US in 2014/15 academic year contributed $3.6 billion to the US economy, according to a new report.
-'''Why are cyclones named?'''
+India was the second leading place of origin for students coming to the US, making up 13.6 percent of the total international students in the country, according to the 2015 Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange, released Monday.
-Tropical cyclones are named to provide ease of communication between forecasters and the general public. Apart from this, they can often last a week or longer and the same basin can have more than one cyclone. Hence, assigning names reduces confusion about what storm is being described. Naming of cyclones started in the early 20th century when an Australian forecaster started naming cyclones after politicians he disliked. During World War II, American meteorologists started naming cyclones after their wives and girlfriends and all cyclones were christened with female names. In the early 50s, they were identified by the phonetic alphabet — Able, Baker, Charlie and so on. In 1953, the US Weather Bureau again switched to women’s names. Now, cyclones are given names that are contributed by member nations of the World Meteorological Organisation. The new names include those identified with men, women, flowers and so on. In the North Atlantic and Northeastern Pacific regions, feminine and masculine names are alternated in alphabetical order during a given season.
+The report is published annually by the Institute of International Education in partnership with the State Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
+While Open Doors does not compile region-wise data for their international students, Michael Evans, consular section chief, mentioned that Gujarat and Mah arashtra make up the biggest students' pool from the western region. “We have had the highest number of visa applications, including students' visas, from these two states in the western region,“ he said. The region also includes Chhattisgarh, Goa and MP.In the last one year, there has been a 56% rise in the students' visas issued in the country , when the western region saw a jump of 89%.
-'''What is the process of naming cyclones?'''
+Science, technology , engineering, math (STEM) remained the most popular choice of study among Indian students. Of these, engineering was the top choice, with 37.5% students pursuing it, followed by mathcomputer with 31.4% students.
+International students' spending in all 50 states contributed more than $30 billion to the US economy in 2014 with students from India contributing $3.6 billion, the report said citing the US Department of Commerce.
-The regional body responsible for monitoring tropical cyclones in a particular basin makes a list of cyclone names for that particular basin. There are five such bodies that keep 10 pre-designated lists of cyclone names. The names are proposed by the member countries. For instance, the names of cyclones in northern Indian Ocean are contributed by Bangladesh, India, the Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Thailand. Different basins use different methods for naming cyclones. In Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico and the North Atlantic there are six lists, each having 21 names. These lists are annually rotated. The names of exceptionally destructive storms are retired from the list and hence Katrina can never reappear. In northern Indian Ocean there is no yearly list.
+China remains the top sending country, with almost twice the number of students in the US as India, but India's rate of growth and absolute increases outpaced China's 11 percent.
-=Damage caused by cyclones=
+It was also the second year of rising numbers for India, following three years of declines.
-==How India cut cyclone deaths: 1999> 2021==
-[https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/from-10000-in-1999-to-6-in-2021-how-india-cut-cyclone-deaths/articleshow/83022325.cms  Pradeep Thakur, May 28, 2021: ''The Times of India'']
-NEW DELHI: Since the 1999 super cyclone in Odisha, which claimed over 10,000 lives, to Cyclone Yaas when casualties have been limited to less than half-a-dozen, India seems to have made a remarkable progress in disaster risk reduction (DRR).
+India's 29.4 percent growth is the highest rate of growth for Indian students in the history of the Open Doors project, which spans back to 1954/55.
-Largescale rescue and relief operation, with the cooperation of both the Centre and states, ensured more than 14 lakh people evacuated to safe shelters, limiting casualties to negligible numbers in Odisha and West Bengal, the two states that came in the direct path of a severe cyclone making a landfall.
+The last time India grew at a comparable rate (29.1) was in 2000/01 when the number of students from India exceeded 50,000 for the first time.
-This is seen as the result of a rigorous exercise and strengthening of the DRR mechanism over the last few years: a perfect coordination between the Centre and state agencies. The feat has also been possible for significantly increasing funding for DRR activities — up from an average $3-4 billion over five years in the last decade to $4 billion a year for the last two consecutive years.
+India, China and Brazil accounted for most of the growth in international students on US campuses as their numbers grew at the highest rate in 35 years, increasing by ten percent to a record high of 974,926 students in the 2014/15 academic year.
-India takes every calamity as a challenge to minimise casualties to almost zero. This remarkable demonstration of “zero casualty” approach has been discussed and celebrated at global forums with the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) citing Odisha’s cyclone shelters and evacuation efforts as role models for others in the world to emulate.
+The number of Indian students in the US is more than double what it was 15 years ago in 1999/2000.
-More than eight lakh people were evacuated in West Bengal and six lakh in Odisha over the last couple of days to evade the fury of a severe cyclone. Besides the alertness of the state administration, the central National Crisis Management Committee, headed by the cabinet secretary, met twice in the last week; the PM and the Home minister chaired separate high level meetings ensuring all missions were in operational mode. The high level of alertness was also necessary in view of last week’s cyclone Tauktae that had left 193 dead, 70 of them on Barge P-305, off Mumbai coast when it sank in the Arabian sea.
+The majority of Indian students in the US study at the graduate level, according to the report. In 2014/15, their breakdown was: 12.4 percent undergraduate; 64 percent graduate students; 1.4 percent other; 22.1 percent OPT (Optional Practical Training).
-By the time Yaas made a landfall on Wednesday, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) had deployed 107 teams, in addition to the 17 columns of the Army and four warships of the Navy with helicopters onboard in full readiness. The coast guard had put five of its ships and one aircraft in operation. Another five Navy ships were on a standby. The most modern satellites and early warning systems come as useful tools to predict the course of cyclones a week in advance, giving authorities time to prepare.
+In 2001/02, India became the top sender of students to the US and retained that position for eight years, through 2008/09.
-Over the last decade, India has majorly invested in DRR by building safe shelter homes around coastal districts, creating flood embankments, raising of several battalions of the NDRF and SDRF (State Disaster Response Force) — a highly skilled trained force equipped with modern technology and equipment. The NDRF alone has nearly 14,000 personnel. A similar army is available through the SDRFin states, trained in DRR.
-From investing in flood mitigation measures to building disaster resilient infrastructure, India has set aside huge funds towards DRR. Whether it means deployment of the most modern early warning system or launching of the latest satellites, New Delhi has been pursuing an aggressive agenda to bring down economic losses and loss of lives to disasters.
+In 2009/10, the rate of growth from India levelled off, and China overtook India as the top sender and retains that place for the sixth year in a row now, after eight years of double-digit increases.
-[[Category:Climate/ Meteorology|C CYCLONIC WINDS: INDIACYCLONIC WINDS: INDIACYCLONIC WINDS: INDIACYCLONIC WINDS: INDIACYCLONIC WINDS: INDIACYCLONIC WINDS: INDIA
+In 2014/15, China and India together accounted for 67 percent of the increase in international students, and they now constitute nearly 45 percent of the total number of international students in US higher education.
-CYCLONIC WINDS: INDIA]]
-[[Category:India|C CYCLONIC WINDS: INDIACYCLONIC WINDS: INDIACYCLONIC WINDS: INDIACYCLONIC WINDS: INDIACYCLONIC WINDS: INDIACYCLONIC WINDS: INDIA
-CYCLONIC WINDS: INDIA]]
-[[Category:Pages with broken file links|CYCLONIC WINDS: INDIACYCLONIC WINDS: INDIACYCLONIC WINDS: INDIA
-CYCLONIC WINDS: INDIA]]
-=Naming tropical cyclones=
+Students from the top three countries of origin - China, India, and South Korea - now represent approximately 51 percent of the total enrolment of international students in the US, with the number from China and India increasing, and the numbers from South Korea declining by six percent.
-== World Meteorological Organization's (WMO) warning centres==
-[https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/whats-in-a-name-how-cyclone-tauktae-was-given-its-moniker/articleshow/82677235.cms    ''The Times of India'']
-Cyclones are officially named by one of the  World Meteorological Organization's (WMO) warning centres based
+In the 2013/14 academic year, 304,467 American students studied abroad for academic credit, an increase of five percent, the highest rate of growth since the 2007/08 academic year. India saw a five percent increase in students from the US.
-across the globe. The WMO/United Nations Economic and
-Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) Panel on
-Tropical Cyclones (PTC) includes 13 countries -- India,
-Bangladesh, Myanmar, Pakistan, the Maldives, Oman, Sri
-Lanka, Thailand, Iran, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab
-Emirates and Yemen.
-So is there any criteria when it comes to naming cyclones?
+-IANS
-While the name should ideally be short and understandable,
+'''Source: www.oneindia.com'''
-an important factor is that it must not be insensitive.
-But why name them in the first place? For most part,
-nomenclature helps in attaining clarity and avoiding
-confusion in case there's more than one cyclone hitting coast
-at a time. In the long run, enlisting a name also proves to be
-useful when a certain cyclone needs to be mentioned
-Arpit Mutha@ArpitMutha7   wrote on May 15 2021:
+==2015-16:  India no.2 source, but highest growth (24.9%)==
+[http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31808&articlexml=Desi-students-in-US-soar-by-25-highest-15112016001059  Hemali Chhapia, Desi students in US soar by 25%, highest among top 25 senders, Nov 15 2016 : The Times of India]
-India has reportedly proposed Gati (speed),Tej, Marasu (musical instrument in Tamil), Aag (fire) and Neer (water),The names of the next few cyclones adopted by member countries in April 2020 are as follows: Burevi (Maldives), Tauktae (Myanmar),Yaas (Oman), and Gulab (Pak)
-Indpaedia.com adds: Tej with a j means ‘light, lustrous’ in Sanskrit and is the halo of  holy personages. Tez with a z means ‘fast’
+Despite the spectre of xenophobia, internatio nal students in the United States crossed the 1-million mark, an increase of 7% over the previous year. And one in six of them in Trumpland is an Indian.
+The rate of growth of Indian students, at almost 25%, is the highest among the top 25 places of origin for scholars in America. In all, 1.7 lakh students from India are studying in the US, making up 16% of the total international students. A majority of them study at the graduate level. In 2015-16, the breakdown was: 11.6% undergraduate; 61.4% graduate; 1.5% other; 25.5% OPT (Optional Practical Training). Last year, these students contributed $5billion to the American economy .
-==How tropical cyclones are named==
+In absolute numbers, China remains the largest sender of international students to the US with a 31.5% share.Students from the top three senders -China, India and Saudi Arabia -now represent around 53% of all international student enrolment. In all, 10,43,839 foreign candi dates, representing 5% of the US' total higher education student population, contribute nearly $36 billion to the US economy , says the department of commerce.
-[http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/roanu-kyant-nada-and-now-vardah-who-names-indian-cyclones/story-L4GaNCiQyi3V6mpZn8zQuM.html ''The Hindustan Times''], December 9, 2016
+Open Doors 2016 reports that about 75% of all international students receive the majority of their funds from sources outside the US, including personal and family sources, as well as assistance from their home country governments or universities.
-[https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/cyclone-titli-upgraded-to-very-severe-storm-what-cyclone-categories-mean/story-UqJVclvMfjalDgyX3jUuiN.html  October 10, 2018: ''Hindustan Times'']
+The number of Chinese students grew by 8.1% in 201516, but those from India rose 24.9% in 2015-16, following a 29.4% growth the year prior and a 6.1% growth rate the year before that. Saudi Arabia replaced South Korea as the third-largest place of origin, though the increase in Saudi students, at 2.2%, has slowed.
-• Tropical cyclones are named to provide easy communication between forecasters and the general public regarding forecasts, watches, and warnings.
+“The Open Doors report shows that international students value the quality , diversity and strong reputation of US institutions, and recognise that these institutions provide opportunities to them not only in their education, but also in their careers,“ said Institute of International Education president Allan Goodman.
-• The first use of a proper name for a tropical cyclone was by an Australian forecaster early in the 20th century. He gave tropical cyclone names after political figures he disliked.
+Despite the rise in international students, Open Doors also shows that the gender gap among international students has widened slightly over the past two years.
-• During World War II, tropical cyclones were informally given women’s names by US Army Air Corp and Navy meteorologists (after their girlfriends or wives) who were monitoring and forecasting tropical cyclones over the Pacific.
+==2015-18: graduate applications decline==
+[[File: 2015-18- applications from India, China and other regions for graduate studies in the USA.jpg|2015-18: applications from India, China and other regions for graduate studies in the USA. <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F02%2F12&entity=Ar00601&sk=47E8C073&mode=image  February 12, 2019: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
-• From 1950 to 1952, tropical cyclones of the North Atlantic Ocean were identified by the phonetic alphabet (Able-Baker-Charlie-etc.), but in 1953 the US Weather Bureau switched to women’s names. In 1979, the World Meteorological Organization and the US National Weather Service (NWS) switched to a list of names that also included men’s names.
-• The Northeast Pacific basin tropical cyclones were named using women’s names starting in 1959 for storms near Hawaii and in 1960 for the remainder of the Northeast Pacific basin. In 1978, both men’s and women’s names were utilised.
+'''See graphic''':
-• The Northwest Pacific basin tropical cyclones were given women’s names officially starting in 1945 and men’s names were also included beginning in 1979. Beginning on 1 January 2000, tropical cyclones in the Northwest Pacific basin are being named from a new and very different list of names.
+''2015-18: applications from India, China and other regions for graduate studies in the USA.''
-• The Southwest Indian Ocean tropical cyclones were first named during the 1960/1961 season.
+==2016-17/ percentage of increase 12.3% than 25% (2015-16)==
+[http://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%5C2017%5C11%5C14&entity=Ar00505&sk=52DB5519&mode=text  Hemali Chhapia, November 14, 2017: ''The Times of India'']
-• The Australian and South Pacific region (east of 90E, south of the equator) started giving women’s names to the storms in 1964 and both men’s and women’s names in 1974/1975.
+[[File: Number of Indian students in the US, 2016-17.jpg|Number of Indian students in the US, 2016-17 <br/> From: [http://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%5C2017%5C11%5C14&entity=Ar00505&sk=52DB5519&mode=text  Hemali Chhapia, November 14, 2017: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
-• The North Indian Ocean region tropical cyclones are being named since October 2004.
-In 2016, Bay of Bengal witnessed Roanu, Kyant, Nada and Vardah (names of the tropical cyclones) which also affected India.
+Though the US is still a much-favoured destination for Indian students, the percentage of increase in fresh enrolments by Indians halved in 2016-2017 to 12.3% from almost 25% the previous year, according to the latest Open Doors survey conducted by the Institute of International Education. The year 2014-15 too had seen robust growth of 29.4%.
-'''Vardah''' is the Arabic and Urdu word for ‘rose’, a name provided by Pakistan in the comprehensive nomenclature list for cyclones in the Arabian sea and Bay of Bengal.
+In global terms, the US saw a decline in fresh enrolments in 2017, with nearly 10,000 fewer candidates signing up; the new student count of about 2.9 lakh represents a 3% decrease from the previous year.
-In September 2004, an international panel on tropical cyclones decided that countries from the region would each put in names, which would be assigned to storms in the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea.
+For the third year in a row, the largest growth came from India, primarily at the graduate level and in optional practical training (OPT), which is temporary employment linked to a student’s area of study (eligible students can receive up to 12 months of OPT before and/or after completing studies). The Indian student population in the US is now 1.86 lakh.
-Eight countries -- India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, Sri Lanka and Thailand – participated and came up with a list of 64 names.
+''50% of foreign students in US are from India, China''
-In the event of a storm, the Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre, New Delhi, selects a name from the list.
+About 22,000 Indian students in the US are undergraduate students
-The late origin of this naming system -- unlike storms in the Atlantic, which have been getting named since 1953 -- was ostensibly to protect sensitivities in the ethnically diverse region.
+(13.9% increase over the previous year), 1.05 lakh graduate students (3% rise), 57,132 doing their OPT (35%) and 2,259 who have enrolled for non-degree courses (a fall of 7.3%).
-The purpose of the move was also to make it easier for “people easily to understand and remember the tropical cyclone/hurricane in a region, thus to facilitate disaster risk awareness, preparedness, management and reduction,” according to the IMD.
+China sends the most students to the US, followed by India. But India’s rate of growth has still outpaced China’s (which is at 6.8%). Students from these two countries now represent almost 50% of the total enrolment of international students in the US.
-Citizens can submit names to the Director General of Meteorology, IMD, for consideration, but the weather agency has strict rules for the selection process.
+While overall fresh enrolment has fallen, the number of international students studying on American campuses has increased. For the second consecutive year, US colleges and universities hosted more than 1million international students, thereby reaching 1.08 million.
-A name, for instance, ‘should be short and readily understood when broadcast’. The names must also be neutral, ‘not culturally sensitive and not convey some unintended and potentially inflammatory meaning’.
+The factors driving the slowing of growth include a mix of global and local economic conditions, and in some cases, expanded higher education opportunities at home and declining populations, stated the press statement from the IIE on the survey. “Much of the increase reported for the past couple of years can be attributed to more students pursuing OPT related to their academic fields after their degree studies in the US.
-Furthermore, on the account of the ‘death and destruction’ a storm in the Indian Ocean causes, their names are retired after use, unlike those in the Atlantic and Eastern Pacific lists, which are reused every few years.
+These flattening trends have a nearly two-year history, as students reflected in the current Open Doors report were already on campus in September 2016 for the fall term, and most had applied in 2015 and made their decisions in spring 2016.
-[[Category:Climate/ Meteorology|C CYCLONIC WINDS: INDIACYCLONIC WINDS: INDIA
+While this year’s Open Doors report shows strong growth in the number of international students studying in the US in the past decade, with an increase of 85% since 2006/07 the new findings signal that the increase is 3% compared to increases of 7% to 10% for the previous three years.
-CYCLONIC WINDS: INDIA]]
-[[Category:India|C CYCLONIC WINDS: INDIACYCLONIC WINDS: INDIA
-CYCLONIC WINDS: INDIA]]
-==Names reused every six years==
+==2016> 2017: Fewer Indians joined US engg colleges==
+[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2018%2F02%2F26&entity=Ar01212&sk=D8FE5490&mode=text  Shilpa Phadnis, Number of Indians joining US engg colleges dips, February 26, 2018: ''The Times of India'']
-• Atlantic and Pacific storm names are reused every six years, but are retired “if a storm is so deadly or costly that the future use of the name would be insensitive or confusing,” according to forecasters at the US National Hurricane Center in Miami.
+[[File: Indians enrolled for computer science, engineering at graduate level, 2016-17, and the decline.jpg|Indians enrolled for computer science, engineering at graduate level, 2016-17, and the decline <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2018%2F02%2F26&entity=Ar01212&sk=D8FE5490&mode=text  Shilpa Phadnis, Number of Indians joining US engg colleges dips, February 26, 2018: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
-• Hurricane Sandy was the 77th name to be retired from the Atlantic list since 1954. It will be replaced with “Sara” beginning in 2018, when the list from 2012 is repeated. Hurricane Sandy was the deadliest and most destructive hurricane of the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season that hit the US last year.
+The number of students from India enrolled in graduate level programmes in computer science and engineering in the US declined by 21% from 2016 to 2017, according to a study by the National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP), based on data from the US Department of Homeland Security.
-==Not without controversy==
+The NFAP said the number of international students enrolled in US universities declined by approximately 4% between 2016 and 2017, and more than half of this could be attributed to fewer individuals from India studying computer science and engineering at the graduate level in 2017. Indian graduate students completing degrees in science and engineering at US universities are a major source of talent for US firms.
-Cyclone Mahasen, which hit in 2013 and was named by Sri Lanka, was changed to Viyaru after protests by nationalists and officials in Sri Lanka.
+The report of the NFAP, a non-profit, non-partisan public policy research organisation based in Virginia, indicated that the Donald Trump administration’s restrictive visa and work policies had affected the prospects of attracting and retaining bright foreign students making a significant contribution to the US economy.
-They said Mahasen was a king who had brought peace and prosperity to the island, and it was wrong to name a calamity after him.
+The report said that the Narendra Modi government’s demonetisation move — which led to severe cash shortages — might have played a role in the sharp decline in Indian students. But it ruled this out as a major cause, considering that there was an increase (of about 740) in the number of Indian students going to the US for undergraduate programmes in computer science and engineering.
-==Individual cyclones==
-=== Tauktae===
-Parveen Kaswan, IFS @ParveenKaswan wrote on May 15, 2021
+Students from India mostly go to the US for graduate programmes (which lead to a post-graduate degree) than for undergraduate programmes. The Ministry of External Affairs estimates that there were 206,708 Indian students studying in the US in 2017. “News reports and other information about the US limiting the ability of international students to gain employment after completing their studies could be discouraging enrolment,” the NFAP report said.
-Cyclone  names are given by countries on rotation basis in region.
+The report said: “The key to remember is that international students have more choices than ever before about where to study and US policies on immigration and international students have an impact on those choices. To the extent the US makes it more difficult to work after graduation or imposes other restrictive policies it is less likely that international students choose America as their destination,” it said.
-Cyclone Tauktae's (pronounced Tau'Te) [seen in 2021] name originates from a
+The report said fewer international students coming to the US will have a serious impact on US students and US universities, as well as American companies.”
-Burmese word which translates to gecko -- a "highly vocal
-lizard". The cyclone was named by Myanmar.
-[[Category:Climate/ Meteorology|C CYCLONIC WINDS: INDIACYCLONIC WINDS: INDIA
+National Foundation for American Policy said the number of international students enrolled in US universities declined by approximately 4% between 2016 and 2017, and more than half of this could be attributed to fewer individuals from India studying computer science and engineering at the graduate level in 2017. Indian graduate students completing degrees in science and engineering at US universities are a major source of talent for US firms
-CYCLONIC WINDS: INDIA]]
-[[Category:India|C CYCLONIC WINDS: INDIACYCLONIC WINDS: INDIA
-CYCLONIC WINDS: INDIA]]
-[[Category:Climate/ Meteorology|C CYCLONIC WINDS: INDIACYCLONIC WINDS: INDIA
+==2016> 2017: 27% decrease==
-CYCLONIC WINDS: INDIA]]
+[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2018%2F03%2F14&entity=Ar02100&sk=4C4F61E0&mode=text  Lubna Kably, Number of Indians granted US student visa dips by 27%, March 14, 2018: ''The Times of India'']
-[[Category:India|C CYCLONIC WINDS: INDIACYCLONIC WINDS: INDIA
-CYCLONIC WINDS: INDIA]]
-= Storm surges=
+[[File: US Student visas, 2013-17; US Student visas for Indians, 2016-17.jpg|US Student visas, 2013-17. <br/> US Student visas for Indians, 2016>17 <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2018%2F03%2F14&entity=Ar02100&sk=4C4F61E0&mode=text  Lubna Kably, Number of Indians granted US student visa dips by 27%, March 14, 2018: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
-==Why they are so dangerous==
-[https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/cyclone-fani-what-is-a-storm-surge-and-why-is-it-so-dangerous-2032363  May 3, 2019: ''NDTV'']
-What Is A Storm Surge And Why Is It So Dangerous?
-The surge happens when sea levels rise dramatically during a storm, sending a destructive wall of water gushing over people and property on land
+''Desi Youths Heading To Canada, Oz As US Tightens Visa Regime''
-Agence France-Presse
+The results of a restrictive immigration policy are now clearly evident with the number of student visas issued by the Trump administration dropping, especially to those hailing from India and China.
+Statistics for the year ending September 30, 2017, show an aggregate decline of 16% compared to the previous year, with 4.21 lakh student visas handed out against 5.02 lakh in a year ago, according to statistics released by the US department of state.
-Severe cyclone Fani, which blasted ashore on Friday in the eastern part of the country, is expected to pack a frequently underestimated yet lethal threat: storm surge.
+For Indian students, the drop is a sharper 27% with 47,302 visas being allotted in the same period as against 65,257 visas issued in the fiscal ended September 30, 2016, under the Obama presidency.
-The surge happens when sea levels rise dramatically during a storm, sending a destructive wall of water gushing over people and property on land.
-Here are key questions and answers on the phenomenon:
+The data underscores the fact that Canada and Australia are emerging as alternative destinations. Tightening of H1-B visa policies (H1-B is a popular work visa for Indians) and also uncertainties relating to optional practical training programs (OPTs), which enable international students to work in the US for a short period, are attributed to this declining interest for higher education in the US.
-How does it work?
+In all, 3.93 lakh visas (F1 category) were granted to international students and 27,435 visas (F2 category) were granted to their spouses and children during the year ending September 30, 2017.
-Storm surge is not the result of rainfall or flooding, rather it happens when powerful winds push ocean water rushing toward land.
+A nationality-wise breakup of each sub-segment is not available, with the department of state clubbing visas allotted to various nationalities under a single ‘F’ category. However, Asian students constituted the bulk and collectively, Indians and Chinese comprised 40% of the total.
-The phenomenon is an "abnormal rise of water generated by a storm, over and above the predicted... tides," according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
-Forecasters said a surge of 1.5 metres could hit the eastern state Odisha, where the monster cyclone is forecast to make landfall.
-Why is it so dangerous?
+During fiscal 2017, 2.86 lakh ‘F’ category of visas were issued to Asians (nearly 68% of total), which was a decline of nearly 20% over the previous year. For Indian students, it was a steep fall with numbers down by 27% – only 47,302 visas were issued to them in this period.
-In previous storms, people have failed to flee because they did not grasp the storm surge's deadly threat.
+Student visa approvals had steadily increased over several years in the recent past, and it peaked to more than 6.5 lakh in 2015 before it began to dip. The year-onyear decline for 2016 as compared to 2015 was nearly 26%.
-That was the case for 2013's Super Typhoon Haiyan, which left 7,350 dead or missing in the central Philippines, primarily due to the surge.
-A wall of water estimated to be 7.5 metres high, blasted into coastal towns like Tacloban, a city of 240,000 people.
-Also, surges can extend for dozens of miles inland, overwhelming buildings quickly and cutting off roads. People can end up drowning in their cars or homes.
-The walls of water can begin before storms even make landfall, making it harder to sound the alarm in time to save lives.
-What are the contributing factors?
+During the application season for work visas last year, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services carried out ‘extreme vetting’ of H1-B applications, especially where the wages were at entry level. As reported by TOI earlier, the question asked was whether the application was for a job that required specialisation (which is a requirement for the H1-B visa) and if so, why were the wages at entry level. Thus, it was challenging for companies to hire freshers through the H1-B route.
-The power of a surge is dictated by factors including a storm's size and intensity, as well as the geography of the coastline and sea level.
+Further, a case is pending in US courts regarding the OPT program that enables international students to work in the US after their studies for a certain period. Towards the end of February, a US circuit court (which is a higher court) heard the appeal of the petition against OPT.
-Bays tend to funnel the surge, pushing water to higher levels, according to the Hong Kong Observatory.
+Pew Research Center, a US headquartered think tank, has come down heavily on the OPT mechanism. In a report, it points out that: “Although nominally OPT jobs are temporary, they can last up to 29 months. Further many of those working in the US under the OPT program go on to apply for H1-B visas to stay longer in the US.”
-Tacloban, the worst hit city in Haiyan, sits less than five metres above sea level.
-The town and others nearby were defenceless against the surge that was also funnelled through a shallow bay sandwiched between neighbouring islands.
-Rising seas and warming oceans due to climate change are also expected to amplify the effects of storm surge in the coming decades.
-Numerous studies have predicted that storm surges will become more frequent and deadly as the planet warms.
-Can we protect against storm surge?
+“Various challenges relating to work visas and a probable change in the OPT mechanism, sometime in the future, are factors which are prompting Indian students to explore universities in Canada and even Australia, says an immigration consultant.
-One of the best protections is clear, early warnings to people in the surge's sights and evacuations to areas of higher elevation.
+==2017: Only 4% of Indian students overstayed==
-Low-lying areas like the US state of Louisiana have also long used levees as a measure of protection against flooding and, by extension, storm surge.
+[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2018%2F08%2F15&entity=Ar02405&sk=375298E8&mode=text  Lubna Kably, Only 4% of Indian students in US overstayed their visas in 2017, August 15, 2018: ''The Times of India'']
-However, most of the 1,800 deaths from Hurricane Katrina, which struck the US Gulf Coast in 2005, are attributed to storm surge, NOAA said.
+[[File: Number of students from India and China in the USA, 2017.jpg|Number of students from India and China in the USA, 2017 <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2018%2F08%2F15&entity=Ar02405&sk=375298E8&mode=text  Lubna Kably, Only 4% of Indian students in US overstayed their visas in 2017, August 15, 2018: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
-Eighty per cent of New Orleans found itself submerged when the levees that surround it broke and the water rushed in.
+Given the large number of students from China and India that flock to US educational institutes each year, only a handful overstay their welcome. Of the total number of 16.62 lakh students scheduled to complete their studies during the 12-month period ended September 30, 2017, 4.15% overstayed – in other words, they did not depart from the US at the end of their study and practical training program. These statistics were released last week by the US Department of Homeland Security in its ‘Overstay Report’.
-(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
+Nearly 1.3 lakh Indian students were expected to leave the US during the fiscal 2017 (period October 1, 2016, up to September 30, 2017), of whom 3.45% overstayed. The overstay rate for Chinese students was 3.33% (see table).
-[[Category:Climate/ Meteorology|C CYCLONIC WINDS: INDIACYCLONIC WINDS: INDIA
+An overstay occurs if an individual lawfully admitted to the US for an authorised period remains in the country beyond this tenure. The report explains the authorised period can be a fixed period or can be for the duration of a certain activity – such as the period during which a student is pursuing studies and practical training. DHS identifies two types of overstays. If no departure is recorded, the individual falls in the category of ‘Suspected In-Country Overstays’. On the other hand, those whose departures are recorded after their authorised period expired fall in the bracket of ‘Out-of-Country Overstays’.
-CYCLONIC WINDS: INDIA]]
-[[Category:India|C CYCLONIC WINDS: INDIACYCLONIC WINDS: INDIA
-CYCLONIC WINDS: INDIA]]
-=B: MAJOR CYCLONES=
+Collectively Indian and Chinese students comprise 40% of the total international students. During fiscal 2017, 1.16 lakh ‘F’ category visas were issued to Chinese students and 47,300 to Indian students. Exchange students get J category visas and those for vocational students are M category.
-=Cyclone Vardah: December 2016=
-[[File: Cyclone Vardah, evacuation and caution; Operation Madad by the Indian Navy, some factual information.jpg|Cyclone Vardah, evacuation and caution; Operation Madad by the Indian Navy, some factual information; Graphic courtesy: [http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31808&articlexml=Cyclone-kills-6-plunges-Chennai-into-darkness-shuts-13122016001026 ''The Times of India''], December 13, 2016|frame|500px]]
-==Andaman and Nicobar Islands==
+DHS has proposed to raise the visa fees for international students seeking F and M category of visas to USD350 from the existing USD200. Given current exchange rates, Indian students will have to pay approximately Rs 10,500 more. The hike is expected to be finalised in the coming month.
-'''Please see: ''' [[Andaman And Nicobar Islands: Natural calamities]]
-==Tamil Nadu==
+==2018: Indian students bag 56% of job training slots==
-[[File: A pictoral representation of cyclone Vardah heading towards Chennai in Tamil Nadu.jpg|A pictoral representation of cyclone Vardah heading towards Chennai in Tamil Nadu; Graphic courtesy: [http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/Cyclone-Vardah-heads-towards-Chennai-shores/article16794914.ece ''The Hindu''], December 12, 2016|frame|500px]]
+[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2018%2F10%2F29&entity=Ar01605&sk=E99DBBAD&mode=text  Lubna Kably, In US, Indian STEM students bag 56% of job training slots, October 29, 2018: ''The Times of India'']
-[http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/Cyclone-Vardah-heads-towards-Chennai-shores/article16794914.ece ''The Hindu''], December 12, 2016
+[[File: Top 3 source countries for STEM-OPT students; Top 5 employers for STEM-OPT students; Top 5 US universities attracting foreign students; Top 2 source countries for international students.jpg|Top 3 source countries for STEM-OPT students; <br/> Top 5 employers for STEM-OPT students; <br/> Top 5 US universities attracting foreign students; <br/> Top 2 source countries for international students <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2018%2F10%2F29&entity=Ar01605&sk=E99DBBAD&mode=text  Lubna Kably, In US, Indian STEM students bag 56% of job training slots, October 29, 2018: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
-'''Cyclone Vardah heads towards Chennai shores'''
-Cyclonic storm Vardah is likely to make landfall by '''December 12, 2016''' along north Tamil Nadu and south Andhra Pradesh coast, close to Chennai, accompanied by strong winds with speeds of 80 to 90 kmph.
+''Nearly 50,507 Eligible For Post-Degree Optional Training In FY17''
-S. Balachandran, director, Area Cyclone Warning Centre in Chennai, told the media on Sunday the rains would gradually increase from the morning of December 12 and were expected to last until the next day in the northern districts of Chennai, Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram.
+In dian students in the US hailing from STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) fields dominated the scene when it came to participating in the optional practical training (OPT) programme, under which they can work in the United States once they obtain their degrees.
-'''Moderate rain'''
+They held 50,507 (or 56%) of the total STEM-OPT authorisations in fiscal 2017. Chinese students, with 21,705 (or 24%) of the total STEMOPT authorisations, were next in line. Only a handful of students from other nations had STEM-OPT authorisations for the fiscal ending September 30, 2017. To illustrate, only 500 odd Canadian students and about 400 from Mexico participated in OPT.
-S.B.Thampi, Deputy Director General of Meteorology said, most places along north Tamil Nadu and south Andhra Pradesh coasts would get to light to moderate rain with possibilities of heavy rainfall of up to 20 cm as the system makes landfall.
+In the US, international students are eligible for a 12-month OPT. But those with STEM degrees are eligible for a 24-month OPT extension. The dominance of Indian students having STEPOPT authorisation is significant, given that overall the number of students from China is nearly double of those from India.
-“During landfall, Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Puducherry will get rainfall and once the system crosses, Vellore and Dharmapuri will begin to get rains,” he said.
+These statistics are part of the data-sets released by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), last week. The data is drawn from the Student and Exchange Visitor System (SEVIS) which houses information about international students and exchange visitors such as research scholars. Corresponding data of the previous period was not available. It appears to be a new initiative to boost greater transparency. Prominent companies hiring STEM-OPT students were Amazon, Google, Intel, Microsoft, Integra Technologies and Facebook.
-Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam chaired a meeting in the Secretariat on Sunday to review the preparations by government agencies. Schools and colleges in Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Villupuram and Cuddalore districts have been closed on Monday.
+There has been an increased focus on STEM-OPT placements by the Trump Administration. The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the immigration agency, continues to frown on arrangements that provide ‘labour for hire’ and those where a bona-fide employer-employee relationship cannot be demonstrated. However, there has been a beneficial development in recent months. In its edition dated August 19, TOI had reported that USCIS has reversed its earlier stand that international STEM students undergoing OPT cannot be placed at customer work sites. However, employers, even if they place STEMOPT students at customer work sites, need to meet their training obligations.
-The government also issued an advisory to private undertakings and establishments to permit their staff to avail of a holiday or to work from home.
+Overall, in aggregate, nearly 2.50 lakh or 16% of the total international students in the US were from India, placing it as the second largest country of origin, following China, during the fiscal year 2017. The number of students hailing from China, at 4.81 lakh (or 30% of the total), were almost twice the number from India. Nearly 46% of the international students are drawn from India and China. The total number of active international students during the 12-month fiscal ended September 30, 2017 stood at 15.90 lakh.
-“Due to the storm surge, the seas are expected to be rough and the tidal wave will be 1 m higher than normal. Fishermen have been warned not to venture out into the sea,” he said.
+The release of such data is aimed at enhancing transparency about international students in the US, including where they are from and where they are studying, said Rachel Canty, deputy assistant director of the Student & Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) in an official release.
-National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force teams have been stationed at Chennai, Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram districts as a precautionary measure.
+However, it should be noted that data is periodically drawn from SEVIS to account for the number of international students, and interim reports are periodically released. For instance, in April this year, ICE in its report said there were 12.02 lakh active F and M students in March 2018, a decrease of 0.5% if compared with March 2017. Nearly half of the F and M student population in US hailed from either China (with 3.77 lakh students) or India (with 2.12 lakh students). For the twelve month period ended March 2018, China sent 6,305 more students and India sent 2,356 more students, signifying a minuscule growth between 1-2%.
-===Impact===
+F visa is allotted to international students attending accredited educational institutions, M visa is a vocational student visa and the J visa more commonly known as exchange visitor’s visa, is given to say — research assistants.
-[http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/Cyclone-Vardah-brings-Chennai-to-a-standstill/article16798323.ece ''The Hindu''], December 13, 2016
-Cyclone Vardah made landfall in Chennai on December 12, 2016 between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m., uprooting trees, defacing highrises, smashing cars, disrupting public transport and telecommunication, bringing the metropolitan area to a standstill.
+==2018: Growth in Indian student numbers slows==
+[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2018%2F11%2F14&entity=Ar00200&sk=F0C42252&mode=text  Yogita Rao & Vinamrata Borwankar, Indian students going to US sees slowest growth in 5 yrs, November 14, 2018: ''The Times of India'']
-The weather system that was first noticed nearly five days ago, grew into a ‘very severe cyclonic storm’ and by the time it crossed the city near the Chennai Port, it had weakened into a ‘severe cyclonic storm’ with maximum wind speeds touching 110 kmph-120 kmph.
+[[File: 2013-18- the number of Indian students in the USA.jpg|2013-18- the number of Indian students in the USA <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2018%2F11%2F14&entity=Ar00200&sk=F0C42252&mode=text  Yogita Rao & Vinamrata Borwankar, Indian students going to US sees slowest growth in 5 yrs, November 14, 2018: ''The Times of India''] |frame|500px]]
-'''Lull as eye crosses city'''
-This was a large weather system, measuring nearly 40 km in diameter, which explains the time taken for the system to cross.
+Though the US remains the most popular foreign destination for Indian students, the annual increase in enrolment is down to 5.4% (2017-18 academic year) from 12.3%, due to a weakening rupee and unfriendly visa and immigration policies. In 2015-16 and the fiscal before that, the figure was 25-30%.
-There was a lull between 2-30 p.m. and 5 p.m. as the eyewall of the cyclone was in transit and it normally is empty, bringing very little, or no rainfall.
-The windspeeds decreased to 60-70 kmph, and the system now a ‘cyclonic storm’ moved westwards, bringing moderate to heavy rainfall to the interior areas as well. Rainfall over the northern coastal districts is expected to continue till Tuesday noon. Vardah, an Urdu word meaning red rose, contributed by Pakistan, will turn into a deep depression early on Tuesday, sources said.
-While vast devastation was caused to trees and property, the total rainfall received has only partly bridged the city’s rain deficit. Before Vardah struck, the annual rainfall deficit was over 60 cm, and while the storm has narrowed the gap, there is a solid 40 cm of rainfall the city needs for the reservoirs to fill up and meet its water needs until the next monsoon.
+''But US Still Remains Top Draw, Numbers Nearly Double Since 2013''
-Water managers expect another spell of rainfall before the next monsoon.
+A weakening rupee and unfriendly visa and immigration policies have dented the appeal of US universities in India. Though America remains the most popular foreign destination for Indian students, the annual increase in enrolment has dropped to 5.4% (2017-18 academic year) from 12.3%. In 2015-16, and the year before that, this figure was robust, between 25-30%.
-Official sources said three people had died from rain-related causes in the State on Monday. Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam announced a solatium of Rs. 4 lakh each to the families of the victims.
+The reason for the poor growth of late is that enrolment of Indian students in American graduate programmes (which account for the bulk of Indian students in the US) has dropped by 8.8% this year. The data is by the Open Doors Survey conducted by the Institute of International Education.
-Corporation officials pegged the number of trees fallen at 568 along the 471 bus routes and over 33,000 interior roads in the 426 sq km of the Greater Chennai Corporation limits, impeding the flow of traffic.
+The top 25 American institutions hosting international students constitute 23% of the US’s overall international student strength. Experts say enrolment of Indian students in US universities will continue to decline in the years ahead as post-study work options dry up owing to the American government’s policies. Instead, attention will keep shifting to Canada and Australia, which have emerged as more affordable and friendlier study destinations for Indians.
-Most of the suburbs were cut off from other parts of the metropolitan area.
+Nevertheless, “the growth in students pursuing optional practical training (OPT) has been significant in the last few years”, says Harmeet Pental, COO, IDP Education.
-As dark clouds gathered over the city all day, power supply was disrupted. Banking transactions were affected and PoS devices failed at retail outlets.
+TOI reported the trend recently. “If OPT is not considered in total enrolment, there is a 6.4% drop in admissions. OPT students this year number 75,390, who constitute about 40% of the 1.96 lakh Indian students in the US,” said Pental. He said that most engineering and computer science graduates, together constituting about 70% of Indian students in the US, prefer to complete their OPT.
-'''Holiday for schools'''
+Consultants helping students with admissions abroad said visa policies are looked at with apprehension by students. Kashyap Matani, co-founder at Yocket.in, an online community that connects students and university officials, said, “While the US is still a top preference for many, we get a lot of students who are looking at admissions in European countries like Germany or the Netherlands, which are providing cheaper options, apart from Canada and Australia. Even if US work visa policies don’t directly affect international students, there is much apprehension as the focus continues to be on job placements after finishing expensive courses abroad.”
-The Tamil Nadu government declared Tuesday would be a holiday for educational institutions in three districts.
+Overall, the number of Indian students on US campuses has doubled over the last decade: from 94,563 in 2007-08 to 1.96 lakh in 2017-18.
-“All government, government-aided, private schools, colleges and other educational institutions in Chennai, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts will remain closed on December 13,” an official release said.
+Minister counselor for consular affairs, US embassy, Joseph Pomper, said, “In the past 10 years, the number of Indians going to the US has doubled. Indian students are looking for a great education and the US continues to offer this.” He said the embassy continues to see well-qualified Indians applying to study in the US as well as record attendance at US university fairs held across India.
-====Steps by the central government====
+==2018-19: a 2.9% increase==
-[http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/Central-team-to-visit-TN-to-assess-Vardah-impact/article16899560.ece ''The Hindu''], December 19, 2016
+[https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/indians-studying-in-us-rise-2-9-in-2018-19-non-degree-courses-see-highest-uptick/articleshow/72107183.cms  Nov 18, 2019: ''The Times of India'']
-'''Central team to visit TN to assess Vardah impact'''
+''' Key Highlights '''
-''At least 18 people were killed when cyclone Vardah hit Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh on December 12.''
+India and China make up 52% of the international student population in the US, with China the number one sender
+Of a total revenue of $44.7 billion (a 5.5% increase over last year) that international students add to the US economy, China contributes $14.9 billion, and India $8.1 billion
-The team, headed by Joint Secretary '''Praveen Vashishtha''' from the Home Ministry comprised officials from the Ministries of Finance, Agriculture, Industries and Rural Development, among others.
+NEW DELHI: The United States continues to be a popular destination for Indian students, though fewer are flying out now because of unfriendly visa and immigration policies. Indian student population in the US went up marginally (2.9%) from 1.96 lakh in 2017-18 to 2.02 lakh in 2018-19, according to a new report. However, this figure is a cumulative number, which covers students across batches who enrolled in American universities over several preceding years.
-Immediately after the cyclone, the Chief Minister had sought disbursal of Rs. 1,000 crore as an interim relief package. However, the Central Government had responded by releasing an interim aid of Rs. 500 crore, which the State felt was inadequate.
+More indicative of the latest enrolment trends are the visa numbers released by the US state department, which suggest a steep slide in the number of Indian students opting for a US education or managing to get approvals.
-Mr. Panneerselvam, accompanied by officials, called on Tamil Nadu Governor (in-charge) Ch. Vidyasagar Rao at the Raj Bhavan. The meeting, described as a courtesy call in an official release, came as a surprise since it came just one day ahead of the Chief Minister’s Delhi visit.
+The number of student visas to Indians—who form a sizeable subset of total international student population—fell more than 40% from 74,831 in 2015 to 42,694 in 2018, said the US state department. Even globally, the number of student visas issued by the US decreased by close to 40% between 2015 and 2018.
-==Andhra Pradesh==
+In all, the US now has 24,813 Indians at the undergraduate level, 90,333 in graduate programmes, 84,630 pursuing optional practical training (OPT), and 2,238 in non-degree courses. Decrease in admissions in business management was offset by a newfound fancy for maths and statistics, which leads to jobs in data analysis and artificial intelligence.
-The Andhra Pradesh government remains on high alert, monitoring the progress of cyclone Vardah with real-time updates from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), even as the system changed course towards the northern Tamil Nadu coast. Its initial track forecast landfall between East Godavari (Kakinada) and Nellore districts.
+Coursewise, Indian students pursuing maths and computer science make up the largest chunk (37%), overtaking engineering (34%) for the first time, data from Opendoors by the Institute of International Education shows. Undergraduate numbers have grown 6.3% and graduate numbers have shrunk (-5.6%), reversing a popular trend of many decades when students would seek admission for a masters in the US after graduating in engineering.
-The government has been tapping into ISRO’s data following an understanding reached with the agency earlier this year for weather forecasting.
+Overall, the number of in-bound international students dipped in 2018-19 by 0.9% compared with 2017-18, which recorded a much sharper fall of 6.6%. Decline in fresh enrolment of international students continued in 2019-20 at the same pace (0.9%), according to data from the 2019 Fall International Student Enrolment Snapshot Survey.
-'''Naidu meets ISRO team'''
+[[Category:China|S INDIAN STUDENTS IN THE USA
+INDIAN STUDENTS IN THE USA]]
+[[Category:Diaspora|S INDIAN STUDENTS IN THE USA
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-Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, who cancelled his Dubai visit to monitor the likely impact of Vardah, held a meeting with ISRO scientists on Saturday.
+==2019: 2lakh Indian students, 75% of them in masters ==
+[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F05%2F02&entity=Ar01800&sk=7171B4B2&mode=text  Lubna Kably, May 2, 2019: ''The Times of India'']
-According to official sources, the State government is getting inputs from the ISRO through its National Remote Sensing Centre and other wings round the clock.
+[[File: Indian and Chinese students in the USA, 2019.jpg|Indian and Chinese students in the USA/ 2019 <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F05%2F02&entity=Ar01800&sk=7171B4B2&mode=text  Lubna Kably, May 2, 2019: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
-===Contingency plan===
+US has 2L desi students, 75% of them in masters
-Later in a teleconference, Mr. Naidu told officials of various departments that the cyclone could cross the coast between Sriharikota and Chennai by Monday evening and trigger heavy rains in Chittoor, Kadapa and Nellore districts. He called upon the heads of departments to be prepared to face the contingency by drawing on their experience during Cyclone Hudhud two years ago.
+Of 11L Int’l Students, Half Are From India & China
-NDRF teams have been deployed in Sullurpet and Tada in Nellore district. Four IAS officers — Mukesh Kumar Meena, B. Sridhar, M. Ravi Chandra and Ram Gopal — have been deputed as special officers to Prakasam, Nellore, Chittoor and Kadapa to handle the situation.
+Indian and Chinese citizens made up nearly half of the total 11.7 lakh international students in the United States as of March 2019. Other than the large numbers, though, students from the two countries share little in common, academics say.
-[[Category:Climate/ Meteorology|C CYCLONIC WINDS: INDIACYCLONIC WINDS: INDIACYCLONIC WINDS: INDIACYCLONIC WINDS: INDIACYCLONIC WINDS: INDIACYCLONIC WINDS: INDIA
+Those from India dominated masters courses whereas a larger percentage of Chinese students had enrolled for bachelors degrees. Collectively, the number of “active” students from these countries, at 5.8 lakh, comprised 49.5% of the total international students who hold an F visa or an M visa for academic and vocational studies, respectively.
-CYCLONIC WINDS: INDIA]]
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-=Cyclone Mora: May 2017=
+The data was released recently in its raw form by the US department of homeland security and was based on SEVIS figures. SEVIS or the student and exchange visitor information system is the database that DHS uses to maintain and manage information on international students.
-==Bangladesh and northeastern India==
+Nearly 75%, or 1.58 lakh of the total 2.09 lakh active students from India, had enrolled in masters courses. Of these, 11% were studying for a bachelors degree and 10% were pursuing a doctorate.
-[http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/cyclone-mora-batters-bangladesh/article18664637.ece  May 31, 2017: ''The Hindu'']
+While the raw data does not dissect the numbers into study streams, various other studies and anecdotal references indicate that a significant number of students from India opt for the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) stream.
-Cyclone Mora that lashed Bangladesh's coastlines forcing the evacuation of millions of people and shutting the country's main port and river transport, killed at least six people in Cox’s Bazar and Rangamati before moving to northeastern India.
+Typically, international students do seek to work in the host country for at least a few years. For those who aspire to work in the US, though, obtaining an H-1B work visa is challenging. Merely 85,000 such visas are issued annually with 20,000 reserved under the master’s cap. Plus, the selection process involves a lottery.
-The cyclone, which lashed the coastal belt with a wind speed of 128 kmph and made landfall at around 6 a.m. (0000 GMT), cut off Kutubdia, Moheshkhali and Teknaf from other parts of the country.
+For the financial 2019-20 season, successful H-1B applicants would be permitted to work in the US from October at the earliest. The recently announced lottery reversal mechanism, was implemented for the first time, this season. This means, USCIS first conducted the selection process of all H-1B cap applications. Then, it conducted a selection for those eligible for the masters’ cap. This would give those with a US masters or a higher degree a better shot at getting selected through the lottery. “...Students who pursue higher levels of education will benefit statistically in the annual H-1B lottery from the new immigration regulations,” says David Nachman, managing attorney at NPZ Law Group.
-Road transportation was affected, phone lines were disrupted, more than 20,000 houses destroyed and hundreds of trees were uprooted. The Disaster Management Ministry said it moved to safety more than 2.5 million people in 10 coastal districts which were most vulnerable to the tropical storm as the Met Office upgraded the cyclone warning to Great Danger No. 10, the highest level.
+Surprisingly, while the number of active students from China, at 3.7 lakh, far exceeded Indian, merely 31% of them had enrolled for a master’s. Nearly 1.4 lakh or 37% had opted for bachelor’s courses. According to media reports, lately Chinese students, especially those studying or planning to study robotics, aviation, engineering & hi-tech manufacturing—priority areas for the Made in China 2025 Industrial Policy—have been facing visa-related challenges. This is a fallout of the trade war between US and China.
-About 18 million people live in 19 coastal districts, 10 of them in high-risk areas. As it moved towards India, heavy showers and gusty winds  lashed Mizoram on Tuesday disrupting power and telecommunication network, damaging houses and triggering landslides.
+SEVIS-based data also showed that the number of international students in the US is on the decline. At 11.7 lakh, student numbers on F and M visas had shrunk by 3% from March 2018. The number of students from India had shrunk marginally by 1% and those from China by 2%.
-=Cyclone Ockhi: December 2017=
+==2019: Indians applying to business schools drop from 57 to 45%==
-==In brief==
+[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F10%2F18&entity=Ar02517&sk=32EF2549&mode=text  Hemali Chhapia , Oct 18, 2019: ''The Times of India'']
-[http://indianexpress.com/article/explained/a-cyclone-called-ockhi-why-this-is-raising-such-an-unusual-storm-4966455/   Amitabh Sinha, A cyclone called Ockhi — why this is raising such an unusual storm, December 4, 2017: ''The Indian Express'']
-''' ''The name ''Ockhi'' was given by Bangladesh, (In Bengali, ''ockhi'' means ‘eye’.) '' '''
+[[File: Indian students in US business schools, 2015- 19.jpg| Indian students in US business schools, 2015> 19 <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F10%2F18&entity=Ar02517&sk=32EF2549&mode=text  Hemali Chhapia , Oct 18, 2019: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
+Reflecting a global trend, just 45% of Indian students who took GMAT sent their scores to US business schools this year, down from 57% for courses that started in 2015, shows data released by the Graduate Management Admission Council.
-''Cyclones are no strangers to the Indian coast, our east coast in particular witnessing several cyclonic storms each year. Yet, Ockhi, the latest powerful cyclone, is unlike other recent ones.''
-'''What is special about Ockhi?'''
+Around 48% of US programs have reported a fall in international applications this year, with 23% seeing steep declines. Overall, applications from abroad were down 13.7% at US programs that responded to both the 2018 and 2019 surveys. Half of the international students with GMAT scores who did not apply to the US said the bleak chance of obtaining a job there impacted their decision.
-Mostly, the area in which it developed. Cyclones are known to originate in both the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea sides of the northern Indian Ocean; there is much more frequency on the Bay of Bengal side though, especially of the stronger cyclones — in fact, the Bay of Bengal side witnesses four times more cyclones than the Arabian Sea side on average.
+Others cited factors like the ability to obtain a student visa (48%), the political environment (47%), safety fears (37%), and discrimination concer ns (34%).
-But Ockhi originated near the south-western coast of Sri Lanka, and travelled very near the southern-most tip of the Indian mainland, along the coasts of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, towards the Lakshadweep islands, where it was at its most powerful. It weakened considerably after that and continued further, taking a north-easterly turn towards the Maharashtra and Gujarat coastlines —cyclones in this area are not a common phenomenon.
+Globally, applications to MBA programs were down 6.9% year-on-year, and 52% programs reported declines than growth (40%) or stability (8%). The only exception was Canada, where, for the third consecutive year, a majority of programs saw more applications. The UK improved its showing, with 61% MBA programs getting more applications in 2019 over the previous year.
-'''Why does the Bay of Bengal have more cyclones than the Arabian Sea?'''
+Interestingly, large, highly ranked, full-time, two-year MBA programs in US saw the steepest declines. As many as 47% of the top 50 programs said international applications were down by 21% or more compared with last year. However, the drop in candidates with a self-reported GMAT score of 700 or above—meaning a good shot at highly ranked programs—to the US was milder, falling from 69% in 2017 to 62% in the first half of 2019.
-Meteorologists say the relatively colder waters of the Arabian Sea are not conducive to the formation and intensification of cyclones. Additionally, the eastern coast of India receives cyclones that form not just in the Bay of Bengal, mostly around the Andaman Sea near the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, but also those travelling from the Pacific Ocean, where the frequency of ‘typhoons’, as these are called there, is quite high. Most of these cyclones weaken considerably after encountering a big landmass. Therefore, these do not travel to the Arabian Sea side. The western coast of India thus witnesses only those cyclones that originate locally or the ones, like Ockhi, that travel from the Indian Ocean near Sri Lanka.
+“Quality business schools are emerging around the world and the competition for talent is fierce, the sign of a vibrant marketplace,” said Sangeet Chowfla, CEO of GMAC.
-'''How powerful was Ockhi?'''
+In India, as well as China, domestic applications drove a positive admissions cycle. Among 28 responding programs in India, most reported either growth (50%) or stability (11%), but the percentage of programs reporting growth fell for the second straight year.
-Ockhi was described as a ‘very severe cyclonic storm’, the third strongest category according to the definitions used by the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Cyclones are categorised by the maximum wind speed they generate. At its most powerful, Ockhi had wind speeds between 155 and 165 km per hour, touching the upper border for ‘very severe cyclonic storm’.
+The Canada success story this year is built on the strength of both global and domestic applications. Half of the programs reported international application growth, including 26% that saw a steep rise.
-Cyclones with wind speeds between 165 and 220 km per hour are classified as ‘extremely severe cyclonic storm’. Those with even higher wind speeds are called ‘super-cyclones’. The most famous instance of a ‘super-cyclone’ was the one that hit the coast of Odisha in October 1999. It was the strongest-ever cyclone recorded in that area, with wind speeds touching 260 km per hour. It was also the most devastating cyclone to have hit India.
+[[Category:China|S INDIAN STUDENTS IN THE USA
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-The 2013 Phailin cyclone very nearly got categorised as a super-cyclone. It had maximum wind speeds of around 220 km per hour.
+==2019-20==
+[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2020%2F11%2F17&entity=Ar00128&sk=CC0171DF&mode=text  Hemali Chhapia, November 17, 2020: ''The Times of India'']
-'''Cyclone forecasts by the IMD in the recent past have been made five to six days in advance, thereby minimising the damage caused — was the IMD late in issuing a warning for Ockhi?'''
+[[File: Indian and other foreign students in the USA, 2018-20.jpg|Indian and other foreign students in the USA, 2018-20 <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2020%2F11%2F17&entity=Ar00128&sk=CC0171DF&mode=text  Hemali Chhapia, November 17, 2020: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
-How early the forecast is depends on how far we are from the place where the cyclone is emerging. Many of the big cyclones in recent years, like Phailin in 2013, Hudhud in 2014 or Vardah in 2016, developed near the Andaman Sea. From there, it took those cyclones about five to six days to hit the Andhra Pradesh or Odisha coasts.
+Record 43% fall in new foreign students in US
-These forecasts can be made only after an emerging depression is detected to have the properties of a cyclonic storm. This was true in the case of Ockhi as well. But the origin of Ockhi was much closer home. The cyclone formation was detected during the morning of Wednesday, November 29. An alert was issued around noon. But many areas in Tamil Nadu and on the Kerala coast started feeling the impact from Thursday itself. A day later, the Lakshadweep islands bore the brunt of the cyclone. Because it developed nearby, the lead time for the forecast was much less than in other recent cyclone cases.
+Indians joining US univs fell by 4.4% in ’19: Survey
-==Impact, state-wise==
+In 2019, data captured by Open Doors survey revealed that enrolment from India declined by 4.4% after a 2.9% rise the previous academic year. The slide is pronounced in the graduate, non-degree and optional practical training (OPT) numbers, with a small increase of 0.9% in the undergraduate numbers. Indians enrolling in American graduate programmes, which account for the largest slice of Indian students in the US, dropped by 5.7%. The highest fall — 21.4% — was from non-degree courses and 4.1% came from OPT — practical work experience after a degree programme, for up to 36 months.
-===Goa===
-[http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-otherstates/ockhi-leaves-a-trail-of-destruction-in-goa/article21263551.ece  Prakash Kamat, December 5, 2017: ''The Hindu'']
+In all, the US now has 25,032 Indians at the undergraduate level, 85,160 in graduate programmes and 81,173 pursuing OPT, apart from 1,759 doing non-degree courses. Indian students contributed $7.7 billion to the US economy. Falling interest in business management was offset by the new-found fancy for maths and statistics, which lead to jobs in data analysis and AI.
-'''Ripple effects'''
+For a fifth consecutive year, the US hosted more than one million international students (1,075,496) during the 2019/2020 academic year. Global data indicates a slight decline (1.8%) in the number of international students in the US during the 2019/2020 academic year, after a tiny rise of 0.05% in 2018/19. New international student enrolment numbers stood at 2,67,712, a 0.6% decline, but a marked improvement from the 7% decline of the previous two years. According to the US commerce department, international students contributed $44 billion to the US economy in 2019. China, followed by India and South Korea, sent the largest numbers of students to the US.
-High tides due to the ripple effectasof Ockhi cyclone that hit Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Lakshadweep damaged several beach shacks, temporary eateries and other tourist structures along Arambol, Morjim, Mandrem and Cavelossim.
+Unfriendly visa and immigration policies have steadily had an impact on students flying out to the US for an education. Of the 25 top sending nations, 19 recorded declines in growth rate as compared to last year.
-Several shacks have reportedly been affected by the swelling of waters along the coastline, due to the twin impact of Ochki cyclone and the super moon last night. Several videos of sea water creeping dangerously close to beach shacks and shack workers scurrying to salvage their beach beds and other equipment were also uploaded to social media on Monday, triggering panic among the tourism and travel industry stakeholders, even as government sources said that efforts were on to declare the damage as a state disaster. The maximum losses was reported in the coastal sub-district of Pernem, where nearly 30 shacks were damaged.
+[[Category:China|S INDIAN STUDENTS IN THE USA
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+[[Category:India|S INDIAN STUDENTS IN THE USA
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+[[Category:USA|S INDIAN STUDENTS IN THE USA
+INDIAN STUDENTS IN THE USA]]
-Over 10 shacks at Morjim were damaged while eight each in Mandrem and Arambol too were damaged due to the high waves.
+=Fitting in=
+==As in 2019==
+[https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/why-indian-students-in-us-find-it-hard-to-fit-in/articleshow/68588272.cms  Soundarya Balasubramani, Why Indian students in US find it hard to fit in, March 28, 2019: ''The Times of India'']
-Shack owners claimed that mattresses, plastic tables and other property were damaged by the waves lashed the shacks. There were reports of damages to electronic items such as refrigerators. The water level was so high that the waves inundated their kitchens and destroyed food items which were kept on ground.
+[[File: Top five origin countries of students in the USA.jpg|Top five origin countries of students in the USA <br/> From: [https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/why-indian-students-in-us-find-it-hard-to-fit-in/articleshow/68588272.cms  Soundarya Balasubramani, Why Indian students in US find it hard to fit in, March 28, 2019: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
-Mr. D’Souza said this may force the government to reconsider the location of temporary shack when permits are allotted.
+[[File: Advanced-degree holders in the USA, 2014-18.jpg|Advanced-degree holders in the USA, 2014-18 <br/> From: [https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/why-indian-students-in-us-find-it-hard-to-fit-in/articleshow/68588272.cms  Soundarya Balasubramani, Why Indian students in US find it hard to fit in, March 28, 2019: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
-“It is, nevertheless, an eye opener not only for Goa, but other coastal states too, to review tourism trade activities close to the shoreline,” he added.
-Meanwhile, a government spokesperson said on Sunday that fishermen have been asked to not venture into the sea at least for the next three days.
+In November 2016, during an end-semester lab examination, I sneaked a peek at my cellphone to look at the election results. It was clearly edging towards Donald Trump. Fear struck me. I imagined a future where I would be graduating with no job due to the stringent immigration laws that Trump would go on to impose. Today, I realize my fear of being jobless was warranted, however, the reason was not. Little did I know the real ordeal were not alleged laws and legislation.
+The Immigration Situation
-A report from North Goa Magistrate Nila Mohanan said that there was considerable damage to almost 50 shacks in Morjim, Mandrem, Arambol and Querim beaches in Pernem taluk of North Goa. In Bardez taluk, only soil erosion in Anjuna and Baga beaches and damage to a retaining wall at Coco beach in Nerul have been been reported.
+The US is one of the top graduate school destinations for international students because of its quality education, top-notch infrastructure and arguably open labour market. It hosted about 10 lakh students in 2017 with the UK and China bagging second and third place.
-==Initiatives==
+Indian students continue to be the second leading community among students, rising to nearly 1,86,000 in 2017. And Tamil Nadu constitutes a fair share of the pie. For these students, the coveted visa category is the H-1B as it permits stay in the US for six years while employed, and extends it indefinitely once an application for a green card is filed. In the past 16 years, the supply of the allotted 85,000 visas has been exhausted every year and since 2014, it did not last more than five days of accepting applications.
-===Op ''Sahayam''/ Indian Navy===
-[http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/navy-rescue-operations-on/article21286638.ece  December 7, 2017: ''The Hindu'']
-It has provided assistance to 187 people in distress
+The good news came with a new ruling by Trump in 2018 that tipped the scale towards master’s degree holders. From 2019, the order of filing will be reversed. Everyone, including master’s students, will first be considered in the 65,000 visa category. The master’s students who are left out will get a second chance in the next 20,000 visa category. This increases the probability of selection from 51% to 55% for master’s students.
-The Navy has so far provided assistance to 187 people in distress in sea, as on December 7, 2017, besides saving 148 lives as part of Op Sahayam, an exercise for search and rescue, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) launched in the wake of Cyclone Ockhi.
+The bad news is, Trump’s push to ‘hire Americans’ has increased the number of visa denials, which prolong the process and cost more money for employers. In spite of this more than 190,098 visas were filed in 2018  —  a strong message that foreign talent is valued by American employers.
-The force has also evacuated three bodies from deep sea. A media release said nine naval ships besides helicopters and race aircraft remained deployed for extended scouring of seas up to 300 miles west of the Lakshadweep and Minicoy islands and 450 miles off Kerala coast. A P8-I long-range maritime patrol aircraft detected a fishing vessel, St Damian, late Tuesday night some 180 miles northwest of Kavaratti and directed INS Chennai to render assistance. “The 13-member crew were taken on board Chennai early morning on December 6 and provided with food, water and medical aid. The boat was towed and handed over to Coast Guard Ship Shoor as part of Op Synergy since the boat engine had become unserviceable and could not be repaired in sea despite the best efforts by the team of INS Chennai,” the release said.
-INS Kalpeni embarked six local fishermen from Kochi and INS Kabra embarked two fishermen from Kollam to join the ongoing SAR (search and rescue) efforts. “INS Jamuna positioned at Kavaratti has provided 12,000 litres of fresh water as requested by the island administration.”
+'''The Real Elephant in The Room'''
-INS Sharda, which returned to Kochi for refuelling, has now embarked materials requested by the Minicoy administration. The items will be delivered on Thursday morning. The naval contingent at Minicoy actively involved in clearing of roads and distribution of rations, the Navy said.
+When we hear about lack of jobs in the US, we are tempted to blame the immigration restrictions due to its conspicuous nature. Dig a little deeper and you uncover more symptoms.
-=Cyclone Titli: October 2018=
+While Indian universities tend to have placement committees responsible for roping in companies and recruiting students, universities in the US are yet to recognize the term ‘placement’. Unlike the mass recruitment that happens in India, securing a job in the US involves a few domino cards to fall at once — networking with employees, attending career fairs, securing an internship and acquiring specialized skills.
-==Impact, state-wise==
-==Odisha==
-[https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/cyclone-titli-live-updates-odisha-andhra-pradesh-brace-for-impact-1360388-2018-10-11  October 11, 2018: ''India Today'']
+There is not just a cultural shift, but a psychological shift as well. "Learning to drive, cook, manage finances, taking care of a household unaided are some of the things I would have wanted to pick up if I could go back in time," says Akshay Jha, who has recently completed his master’s from the Cornell University. Research shows universities need to understand better the barriers (international) students face to enforce more effective transition programmes. Some of the problems of the students include cultural misunderstanding, financial and social support, and inclusion in the local community. Studies have found stress and lack of social support lead to psychological issues.
-Cyclone Titli has made landfall on the coast of Odisha. It is a very severe cyclonic storm. The location of the landfall is 86km Southwest of Gopalpur in Odisha. The cyclone is forecasted to bring in its wake very heavy rain, which could lead to flooding, and strong winds. By night of October 11, 2018, Titli will weaken into a cyclonic storm before ultimately dissipating as a depression by the night of October 12.
+'''What Can You Do Differently'''
-===Impact on agriculture- ''Kharif'' crop===
+Marcelo Barros, founder of The International Advantage, which offers job search workshops, says, "At least 90% of the job search process is well understood by international students. There are subtleties that can go unnoticed and it is the remaining 10% that students need to focus on. For example, candidates who get hired understand the job responsibilities of the position they’re applying for beyond what is written in the job description. International students often find it strange that by speaking about an employer’s challenges during an interview  —  and providing solutions to them  —  may make them more competitive candidates in the eyes of employers."
-[https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/titli-casts-a-pall-of-gloom-in-odisha/article25244365.ece  Kharif crop over 2,13,801 ha affected, houses damaged, October 17, 2018: ''The Hindu'']
+=PhDs=
+==2005-15==
+[[File: The number of Indians (and other nationals) who received science & engineering, and other, PhDs in the USA.jpg|The number of Indians (and other nationals) who received science & engineering, and other, PhDs in the USA; [http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Gallery.aspx?id=20_08_2017_017_051_002&type=P&artUrl=INCREDIBLE-FACT-20082017017051&eid=31808 The Times of India], August 20, 2017|frame|500px]]
-The devastation wrought by the cyclonic storm Titli and the resultant heavy rain has cast a shadow on Dussehra festivities across Odisha, especially for farmers.
+'''See graphic''':
-Hundreds of puja pandals in the State — where Durga Puja got under way — are witnessing low turnout as people are yet to recover from the shock of the cyclone.
-After toiling for six months and investing hard-earned savings, farmers were anticipating a healthy harvest in the next two months. However, cyclone and heavy rain damaged the standing crop at many places.
-The kharif crop has been affected over an area of 2,13,801 hectares (paddy 1,48,681 ha and non-paddy 65,120 ha) in nine districts — Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Kandhamal, Mayurbhanj, Cuttack, Khordha, Balasore and Puri.
-The damage has been severe in Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada and Kandhamal. Although all is not lost in districts like Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur and Jajpur, farmers fear that there would be a drop in harvest.
-“Multi-department assessment of crop damage is under progress and the final report is expected within a week,” said Bishnupada Sethi, Special Relief Commissioner.
-The SRC has also directed District Collectors to provide ex-gratia to the next of the kin of those who died in the cyclone and the resultant floods within three days. The Odisha government had earlier announced an ex-gratia of ₹4 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased.
-As per a report of the Directorate of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services, livestock loss has been severe. Fishermen were also not spared, with 300 boats fully damaged and 265 partially damaged. Moreover, 607 fish ponds covering 428.97 ha and 69 private fish seed farms in an area of 47.250 ha have been damaged.
-“Who is thinking of any Dussehra festivities? The first priority is to repair damaged houses as winter is fast approaching. This Dussehra has turned into a black one for us,” said Haribandhu Karji, former sarpanch of Gangabada panchayat of Gajapati district, which was worst-hit by the disaster.
-=Cyclone ‘Gaja’: November 2018=
-==Impact, state-wise==
-===Tamil Nadu and Puducherry- heavy rainfall===
-[https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/cyclone-gaja-to-intensify-into-severe-cyclonic-storm-by-november-12/article25468646.ece  November 12, 2018:  ''The Hindu'']
-Coastal areas of north Tamil Nadu would experience moderate rainfall and heavy rainfall in isolated places from the night of November 14, the Met office said. The deep depression over the Bay of Bengal intensified into Cyclone ‘Gaja’. North Tamil Nadu and Puducherry are likely to get good rain on November 14 and 15, India Meteorological Department officials said.
-Named ‘Gaja’, the cyclone lay 840 km east of Chennai and 880 km east of Nagapattinam.
-'''May weaken gradually'''
-It is expected to move west-northwestwards during the next 36 hours and then west-southwestwards towards the north Tamil Nadu–south Andhra Pradesh coasts in the subsequent 48 hours. While moving west-southwest, it is likely to weaken gradually and cross the north Tamil Nadu–south Andhra Pradesh coasts between Cuddalore and Sriharikota during the forenoon of November 15. Rainfall in most places, with heavy spells at isolated places, is likely to start over north coastal Tamil Nadu and south coastal Andhra Pradesh from the evening of November 14.
-According to the the IMD bulletin, rainfall in most places with heavy falls at isolated places is likely to commence over north coastal Tamil Nadu and the adjoining south coastal Andhra Pradesh from evening of November 14.
-On November 15, the rainfall intensity will increase gradually at most places and it will be heavy to very heavy at a few places and extremely heavy (above 20 cm) at isolated places over north Tamil Nadu.
-Rainfall is likely to be heavy to very heavy over south Tamil Nadu, south Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema.
-'''100 kmph gale wind'''
-Squally wind speed reaching 45-55 kmph, gusting to 65 kmph is likely to commence along and off north Tamil Nadu–south Andhra Pradesh coasts from November 14 morning. It is likely to increase gradually, with wind speed at 80-90 kmph off north Tamil Nadu–south Andhra Pradesh coasts over west central & adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal from midnight onwards.
-As the sea will be rough, fishermen have been advised to not venture in from 12 November. The fishermen, who were in deep sea, have been advised to return by November 12, the officials said.
-As for Chennai, the sky will be cloudy and some areas will get mild showers for the next two days. While the maximum temperature will be 32 degree Celsius, the minimum temperature will be 24 degree Celsius.
-=Cyclone "Fani", May 2019=
-==Highlights==
-[https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/extremely-severe-cyclone-fani-makes-landfall-in-odishas-puri-key-points/articleshow/69154282.cms  May 3, 2019: ''The Times of India'']
-Cyclone Fani crosses Odisha coast, weather across Asian subcontinent affected: Key points
-* Cyclone Fani crossed the Odisha coast near Puri by Friday evening and by midnight to Saturday early morning the storm is likely to enter West Bengal with a wind speed of 90-100 kmph gusting to 115 kmph. The storm would further weaken by afternoon or evening on Sunday and move to Bangladesh with a wind speed of 60-70 kmph. The cyclone is also affecting weather conditions of neighboring countries.
-* Equipment at Bhubaneswar airport have been significantly damaged but flight operations are expected to begin by 1 pm Saturday.
-* To assess the impact of cyclone Fani in Odisha, an aerial survey was conducted by the Naval Dornier Aircraft. The aerial survey observed extensive devastation to vegetation in many places around Puri, read a statement.
-* While Fani is expected to enter West Bengal with a wind speed of 90-100 kmph gusting to 115 kmph by Friday midnight or early Saturday, the intense rainfall and winds have partly destroyed nearly 50 houses in East Midnapore, West Bengal.
-* The Assam government has sounded an alert in all districts of the state following a warning that Cyclone Fani will lash Assam and other parts of the northeastern region for two days starting Saturday early hours.
-* One man died of a heart attack in one of several thousand shelters set up in Odisha, while another was killed by a falling tree on Friday, authorities said. Media reports put the death toll at up to six, but officials could not confirm this.
-* The cyclone caused extensive damage to AIIMS Bhubaneswar with storm uprooting several overhead water tanks, part of the roof and several electricity poles in the campus. However, all patients, staff and students were reported safe.
-* A baby was born in an Odisha railway hospital as the extremely severe storm wreaked its havoc. The newborn has been named after the storm- Fani by the 32-year old mother. Both were reported to be in good health.
-* Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured all possible help to the state governments affected by the cyclone. He announced that more than Rs 1,000 crore was released to concerned governments yesterday in advance. The PM while addressing an election rally in Rajashtan's Karauli further assured the affected people that nation and Centre was with them.
-* Telecom operator Vodafone Idea said it has initiated contingency measures, including activating emergency helpline number and free SMS, for its customers in Odisha.
-* The cyclonic system, whose eye is around 28 km wide, is moving at around 30 kmph. But within the system, the winds are reaching speeds of up to 175 kilometers per hour that may go up to 200 kmph.
-* More than 200 trains have been cancelled and operations at Paradip, Gopalpur and Dhamra ports stood closed since Thursday.
-* All educational institutions, commercial establishments, shops and offices were closed on Friday morning along with restricted movement of vehicles.
-* The government has set up 4,852 cyclone and flood shelters, where evacuees have been provided with cooked food.
-* As many as 604 women, who are at advanced stages of pregnancy were shifted to maternal care centres. The health department formed 302 rapid response teams.
-Impact on Asian subcontinent
-* The storm has impacted the weather across the Asian subcontinent. Dust storms were forecast in the desert state of Rajasthan bordering Pakistan, heat waves in the coastal state of Maharashtra on the Arabian Sea, heavy rain in the northeastern states bordering China and snowfall in the Himalayas.
-* Bangladesh government has evacuated over 400,000 people, who reside along the coast and taken to cyclone shelters before Fani hits the low-lying country. A woman was killed by a tree, and 14 villages were inundated as flood dams broke due to a tidal surge.
-* About 20 tents at Everest's Camp 2, at 6,400 metres (21,000 feet), were affected. With the spring climbing season looming, several teams have postponed acclimatisation on Everest fearing the bad weather.
-* The weather department in Sri Lanka has not predicted extensive damage but heavy rainfall is predicted over Sabaragamuwa, Central, Southern and Western provinces in the coming days. The general public, naval and fishing communities have been asked to be cautious.
-* The Meteorological Forecast Department (MFD) of Nepal issued an alert on Friday, warning its people to take extra caution as the peripheral effects of cyclone Fani is expected to last till May 6. The Himalayan Region has chances of moderate and heavy snowfall that might start from Friday and last till Saturday.
-''' Impact on Lok Sabha elections '''
-* The Election Commission of India had lifted the model code of conduct from 11 districts to facilitate rescue and relief measures.
-* The EC had also approved shifting of the polled EVMs of four assembly constituencies in Gajapati and Jagatsinghpur districts to safer places.
-==Early warning, well-planned response limit toll to 6==
-[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F05%2F04&entity=Ar00301&sk=0DF875BC&mode=text  Vishwa Mohan & Rajani Yadav, May 4, 2019: ''The Times of India'']
-[[File: Cyclone Fani flattened roadside shops in puri on 3 May 2019 morning.jpg|Cyclone Fani flattened roadside shops in puri on 3 May 2019 morning <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F05%2F04&entity=Ar00301&sk=0DF875BC&mode=text  Vishwa Mohan & Rajani Yadav, May 4, 2019: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
-Coastal Odisha faced the wrath of “extremely severe” cyclonic storm ‘Fani’, but India Meteorological Department’s improved warning system, successful evacuation of lakhs of people, better Centre-state coordination and the highest
-ever deployment by NDRF limited casualties. Government authorities confirmed six deaths, though news agencies reported eight.
-Areas in Fani’s path were battered. There was extensive damage to kuccha houses in Puri, 160 persons were admitted to hospital for treatment, the residence of the SP and DM were badly damaged and there was a serious disruption of power supply.
-However, IMD’s new regional hurricane model helped avert a higher toll and showed how accuracy in tracking and forecasting landfall has progressed since the 1999 super cyclone that killed close to 10,000 people.
-''' Almost 12 lakh evacuated in last 3 days '''
-After success in responding to the more recent Phailin (October 2013) and Hudhud (October 2014) cyclones, central agencies and state governments were able to manage a massive evacuation. Repeated warnings reduced casualties at sea and infrastructure by way of storm bunkers was available, particularly in states like Odisha and Andhra Pradesh that are seen to be more vulnerable.
-Local disaster management authorities in Odisha and the NDRF were on their toes ahead of Fani’s landfall. The NDRF, in fact, made its highest ever deployment by putting 65 teams (one team consists of 45 personnel) on the ground with 38 in Odisha. Over 11.5 lakh people were evacuated in Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal in the past three days. Additional teams for road clearance, law and order and dry food have been rushed. “Fani is very likely to emerge into Gangetic West Bengal as a severe cyclonic storm with wind speed of 90-100 kmph, by early Saturday morning,” IMD said.
-==India wins praise from UN, international media==
-[https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/un-agency-praises-indias-efforts-to-minimise-loss-of-life-from-cyclone-fani/articleshow/69179573.cms  Vishwa Mohan, May 4, 2019: ''The Times of India'']
-Cyclone 'Fani': UN agency praises India’s efforts to minimise loss of life
-NEW DELHI: Hours after the ‘extremely severe’ cyclonic storm ‘Fani’ crossed the coastal Odisha near Puri, a United Nations (UN) agency on Saturday took note of the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) “almost pinpoint accuracy” of early warnings that helped the local authorities in minimising loss of life in the state and appreciated India's ‘zero casualty approach’ to manage extreme weather events. India’s successful efforts in handling the disaster will be discussed at a global platform when countries assemble in Geneva, Switzerland during May 13-17 to deliberate on best practices of disaster risk reduction.
-“India's zero casualty approach to manage extreme weather events is a major contribution to the implementation of the Sendai Framework (an agreement to reduce disaster risk) and the reduction of loss of life from such events,” tweeted Mami Mizutori, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction, while referring to efforts made by authorities in India in the context of the cyclone ‘Fani’.
-The UN agency, in fact, pointed out how advisories and alerts on the cyclone ‘Fani’, disseminated by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and local authorities in Odisha days before the landfall, minimised loss of life and injury.
-The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, referred by the special representative in her tweet, is a voluntary and non-binding agreement - adopted in Sendai, Japan, on March 18, 2015 - which aims to achieve substantial reduction of disaster risk and losses in lives, livelihoods and health in countries across the globe over the next 15 years.
-Mizutori, head of the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR), said she was looking forward to hear more about the cyclone at the session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GP2019) that will take place in Geneva from May 13 to May 17. The Geneva session will be an important opportunity for the international community to boost the implementation of the Sendai Framework and related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda, as well as commitments of the Paris Climate Agreement.
-Highlighting the “zero-casualty cyclone preparedness policy” of India, Denis McClean, a spokesperson for the UNISDR, said, “The almost pinpoint accuracy of the early warnings from the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) had enabled the authorities to conduct a well-targeted evacuation plan, which had involved moving more than one million people into storm shelters”.
-The UN agency, in fact, took note of how the local authorities in Odisha accommodated evacuees in over 4,000 shelters, including 880 specially designed to withstand cyclones.
-India had got similar appreciation from the UN agency for disaster reduction in the events of cyclone 'Hudhud' in October, 2014. The agency had then also recalled the country’s efforts for minimising casualties from the cyclone Phailin that hit India in October, 2013.
-Union ministry of earth sciences’ secretary Madhavan Rajeevan, who congratulated IMD chief K J Ramesh for the national weather forecast agency’s accurate prediction of track and landfall of the cyclone Fani, told TOI on Friday that the result was the best example of how investments in science & technology could help a developing country in saving lives. He also spoke about the ongoing efforts to further improvise the early warning systems in the country.
-Cyclone ‘Fani’ on Saturday weakened into a depression and moved towards Bangladesh after causing heavy rains on its path in West Bengal. The Centre, meanwhile, reviewed rescue and relief measures in the affected areas of Odisha, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh with the states and central ministries in the aftermath of the storm.
-The Odisha government informed that the extensive damage to telecommunication and power infrastructure had been caused in Puri, Bhubaneswar and other areas. West Bengal, on the other hand, reported mild impact of the cyclone while Andhra Pradesh reported some damage to crops and roads in Srikakulam district.
-“No damages to ports and refinery installations were reported. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has moved 16 additional teams (one team consists of 45 personnel) for rescue and relief work in Odisha and has removed fallen trees and other obstacles on most of the roads,” said an official statement.
-It said the health ministry was moving teams of public health experts to assist the state government in preventing outbreak of any epidemic.
-== How Isro satellites helped save lives==
-[https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/how-isro-satellites-tracked-fani-saved-many-lives/articleshow/69181406.cms  U Tejonmayam, May 5, 2019: ''The Times of India'']
-How Isro satellites tracked Fani, saved many lives
-Update: This story had earlier used an agency photo which inadvertently stated that it is of Bhubaneshwar airport. TOI regrets the error.
-CHENNAI: As meteorologists observed a trough of low in the southern Indian Ocean more than a week ago, five Indian satellites kept a constant eye on the system as it brewed into cyclone Fani.
-As it developed into an " extremely severe cyclone + ", the satellites launched by Isro sent data every 15 minutes to the ground station, helping track and forecast its movement and save hundreds of lives.
-According to IMD, data from satellites Insat-3D, Insat-3DR, Scatsat-1, Oceansat-2 and Megha Tropiques was used to study the intensity, location and cloud cover around Fani. There was a cloud cover around the eye of the storm up to 1000km radius, though the rain clouds were only up to a radius of 100 to 200km. The rest were at a height of around 10,000feet.
-"Satellites play a critical role in forecasting, particularly during cyclones, helping us describe the initial parameters fed into the weather models, closer to the actual atmospheric conditions. This helps us better our forecast," said IMD director general KJ Ramesh.
-With IMD able to accurately forecast the exact location where the cyclone was to make landfall, officials in Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal were able to evacuate more than 11.5 lakh people to safety. One of the main payloads from the satellites used to mark the eye of Fani was the scatterometer onboard Scatsat-1, a polar orbiting miniature satellite, and Oceansat-2, sending data about ocean surface, wind speed and wind direction.
-==How IMD tracked cyclone 'Fani'==
-[https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/from-its-formation-to-landfall-how-imd-tracked-cyclone-fani/articleshow/69187624.cms  May 5, 2019: ''The Times of India'']
-From its formation to landfall, how IMD tracked cyclone 'Fani'
-NEW DELHI: Thirteen days before cyclone 'Fani' hit the Odisha coast + , the IMD had an indication that the low pressure in the Bay of Bengal and the Equatorial Indian Ocean could balloon into a massive storm and started preparing for the onslaught, the weatherman said.
-On April 21, based on data from various sources, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast that conditions were conducive for formation of a low-pressure area in the Equatorial Indian Ocean and south Bay of Bengal.
-A low-pressure area is the initial stage of the formation of a cyclone.
-Armed with data from different institutes of the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), the meteorologists deliberated on how low pressure could pan out to be.
-The IMD and other institutes of the Ministry of Earth Sciences ran data through 10 specialised weather models.
-"We realised all the models suggested that it was going to turn into a cyclone. So, from April 25 we started issuing special bulletins," IMD's additional director general (services) Mritunjay Mohapatra told PTI.
-Mohapatra, a veteran in tracking cyclones, played a critical role in tracking Fani's progress and accurately predicting its path.
-Elaborating on the formation stage of cyclone 'Fani', he said help from other institutes of the MoES played a crucial role in predicting the development of the cyclone.
-The National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Chennai has over 20 buoys in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea that collected data on rainfall, temperatures below the sea and above, wind speed, Mohaptara said.
-Different satellites provided data and images on clouds in oceanic area for monitoring low pressure systems, said IMD's Director General K J Ramesh.
-Satellite data was also used in running the models.
-"There are island observatories that fed us with data," Mohapatra said.
-Ramesh said data was processed under different weather models by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune and National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF), Noida. These two institutes have two supercomputers that process data.
-The data was further processed by the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), Hyderabad that gave predictions on the extent, depth and duration of the inundations in the low-lying areas due to the cyclone, Ramesh said.
-A similar model is run by Indian Institute of Technology Delhi to help the IMD with information on inundation.
-The IMD also used its radars at Chennai, Karikal, Machilipatnam, Visakhapatnam, Gopalpur, Paradip, Kolkata, Agartala to the fullest.
-"Twelve hours before the landfall, we kept sending updates on locations to concerned states every half hour using our radars, besides releasing hourly bulletins," Ramesh said.
-'Fani' intensified into a cyclone on April 27. It became a 'severe cyclonic storm' + on April 29 and into a 'very severe cyclone' on April 30. A day later, it took the from of an 'extremely severe cyclone' and slammed into the Odisha coast on May 3 with a speed gusting to 175 kilometres per hour.
-The IMD also earned praised from different quarters of the world for its predictions.
-[[Category:Climate/ Meteorology|C CYCLONIC WINDS: INDIACYCLONIC WINDS: INDIA
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-== Fani more dangerous than assumed==
-[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F05%2F11&entity=Ar02303&sk=7835EFDC&mode=text  Ashok Pradhan, May 11, 2019: ''The Times of India'']
-[[File: Devastation caused by Cyclone Fani..jpg|Devastation caused by Cyclone Fani. <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F05%2F11&entity=Ar02303&sk=7835EFDC&mode=text  Ashok Pradhan, May 11, 2019: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
-Puri: As Cyclone Fani ripped through Puri on May 3, P Chittama found herself locked out of the bathroom that her family was huddled in. The asbestos roof in her house in Penthakata soon gave way to the strong wind and a large piece hit Chittama on the leg. Bloody and barely able to walk, the 40-year-old somehow managed to drag herself to the bathroom which provided safe shelter due to its concrete roof. Hours later, the storm subsided and Chittama was taken to a hospital where doctors told her she was lucky to have escaped with only a fracture. It will, however, take a month for Chittama to be able to walk and much longer than that for her family to rebuild their damaged fishing boat and go back to the sea.
-As the accolades the Naveen Patnaik government earned for its timely evacuation of 14 lakh people die down and officials begin taking stock of the devastation, grim realities are emerging. Fortyone people have died and over 1.5 crore have been affected in 14 districts. Large parts of state capital Bhubaneswar and the entire Puri district remain without electricity and the distribution of drinking water and food supplies is erratic, forcing people to resort to attacking and stealing from relief vans in some cases. Five lakh houses and 6,700 hospital buildings have been damaged while 34 lakh livestock have perished. The total loss in financial terms will run into at least Rs 50,000 crore, government estimates suggest.
-Experts said that the ecological, financial and infrastructural damage caused by Fani is much larger than anticipated. Sarat Chandra Sahu, former director of Meteorological Centre, Bhubaneswar, said that the widespread destruction, particularly in Bhubaneswar, which was at least 50 km from Puri where the cyclone made landfall, was unexpected. Sahu said that it was high wind speeds of 200 kmph that allowed the cyclone to wreak havoc at this scale.
-Lake Chilka and Balukhand-Konark wildlife sanctuary, two of Odisha’s ecological hotspots, have been hit hard. According to a government report released on Thursday, Chilka, Asia’s biggest brackish water lake, is likely to become more saline due to increased inflow of sea water. The heightened salinity will adversely affect marine life. In Balukhand-Konark wildlife sanctuary on the Puri-Konark marine drive, millions of trees have been uprooted.
-Special relief commissioner (SRC), Odisha, Bishnupada Sethi admitted that it might be several years before the state can get back on its feet. “It might take up to a decade,” said Sethi, adding, “The priority is to get people’s lives back on track. The complete damage assessment will take time as communication is yet to be restored in many parts.”
-The government is now struggling with the mammoth task of repairing nearly 80,000 km of low tension power lines and 64,000 damaged distribution transformers. Efforts are on to revive the nerve centres of Odisha -- Cuttack, Puri and Bhubaneswar. Officials said that electricity will be restored in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar by next week but it would take up to a month to restore power supply to the entire Puri district.
-The railway station in Bhubaneswar, one of the few areas in the city with electricity, is witnessing an unusual rush. Desperate to connect with the world and get news of loved ones, people are queuing up at the station to charge their cellphones. And because the charging points are limited, many are now bringing extension cords even as they spend nights on the platform to await their turn. It helps that packaged drinking water is also available at the station.
-Information and public relation secretary Sanjay Singh said that water supply in Puri, Cuttack and Bhubaneswar had been restored. Residents, though, maintain that this is pointless as the water being supplied is undrinkable.
-In Puri, countless people have been rendered homeless in villages; food is scarce and ATMs are without money. Odisha DGP Rajendra Prasad Sharma said that police are now escorting relief vans after some people tried to snatch material from a truck in Satyabadi in Puri. On Thursday, only 20 out of 273 ATMs and 60 bank branches out of 239 were functioning in Puri. Bang in poll season, the safety of EVMs has posed another challenge. Police are using diesel-run generators to provide power to a strong room in Puri where EVMs have been kept after people cast their votes on April 23.
-For those still coming to terms with the loss of loved ones and their homes, Fani has evoked memories of the super cyclone of 1999.
-“Though the deaths were greatly fewer, as far as damage to infrastructure goes, Fani has caused perhaps as much destruction as the super cyclone which had killed over 10,000 people,” said Sanjeeb Guru, an architect.
-=Cyclone Tauktae: 2021=
-==Loss caused==
-[https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/cyclone-caused-15000-cr-loss-gujarat-and-diu-worst-hit/articleshow/82787753.cms  Partha Sinha, May 20, 2021: ''The Times of India'']
-Cyclone Tauktae is estimated to have caused a loss of about Rs 15,000 crore, that’s slightly over $2 billion with the agriculture sector being the worst hit and Gujarat and Diu the most affected regions due to the strong wind and the resultant flooding. Infrastructure (mainly the ports along the western coast) and utilities (electricity and telecom) sectors have also been hit severely leading to such losses, a report by RMSI, a global consultancy firm working in the field of natural calamities, climate change etc., said in a report.
-Among the states, Kerala, Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra have been partially affected by the cyclone which made a landfall along the Gujarat and Diu coastlines on Monday late evening. There are expectations that the frequency of such devastating cyclones could increase in near future.
-According to Pushpendra Johari, Senior VP, sustainability, RMSI, Tauktae was a unique cyclone that impacted all the states and UTs along India’s western coast.
-Recent studies on climate change have highlighted the rising sea surface temperature in the Arabian Sea which would increase the frequency of cyclones in these regions, Johari said.
-RMSI estimates that out of the total Rs 15,000-crore loss, at least half is expected in Gujarat and Daman & Diu while the other four western coastal states incurring the balance half of the loss.
-On the sectoral front, about “25-40% losses are expected from the agriculture sector from all the above impacted states. Around 15%-20% of the total was from the transportation sector, primarily ports, and a similar loss share from the utility sector, primarily power and telecom,” the report noted.
-The heaviest brunt was witnessed in Junagadh and Amreli districts in Gujarat and Diu. According to RMSI, flooding of 0.5m to 1m is expected around Porbandar, from 1m to 3.5m around Una, Bhavnagar, Rajula, Tajala and Diu and some parts of Surat city.
-= Cyclone Yaas, 2021=
-== Loss caused ==
-[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIM/2021/05/27&entity=Ar00717&sk=C280605B&mode=text  May 27, 2021: ''The Times of India'']
-Cyclone Yaas left a trail of destruction in north Odisha on Wednesday, killing at least two persons, uprooting hundreds of trees, inundating several lowlying seaside villages, flattening kutcha houses while making landfall 20km south of Balasore.
-In West Bengal, more than three lakh homes were destroyed and one crore people affected as sea water along the coast and rivers started swelling and breached embankments, a little after Cyclone Yaas made landfall in Odisha. The only life lost was that of a fisherman, who had ventured out to sea, ignoring warnings. East and West Midnapore and North and South 24 Parganas were the worst hit.
-== Bengal’s rescue operation==
-[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIM/2021/05/27&entity=Ar01027&sk=358B223E&mode=text  May 27, 2021: ''The Times of India'']
-Bengal registered its biggest-ever evacuation operation during a natural calamity, with more than 15 lakh people in coastal areas moved to 14,000 relief camps in the 72 hours between Monday and Wednesday. It was largely due to this effort that the loss of life could be minimised (there was just one life lost), even though Cyclone Yaas wreaked havoc on homes and farmlands, said government sources.
-By the time Yaas hit land on Wednesday morning near Dhamra port in Odisha at 9.30am, as many as 15lakh people had been moved out from vulnerable areas to safer places, chief minister Mamata Banerjee said.
-During last year’s Amphan, when 86 people had died and 70% of the state’s population was directly affected by the storm, around 10 lakh people had been evacuated. The evacuation figure for Yaas surpassed the number on Tuesday itself. Several lakh people were also evacuated from flood-prone and inundated areas on Wednesday as well. “We had evacuated all those living in the coastal belts, but there were some places, away from the cyclonic formation, where villagers were not expecting their homes to be flooded. Here, the spring tide deluged their homes and farmlands. Work is on to rescue them as well,” said Banerjee.
-===New moms thank timely shift to Odisha hospitals===
-[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIM/2021/05/27&entity=Ar00717&sk=C280605B&mode=text  Minati Singha, May 27, 2021: ''The Times of India'']
-Bhubaneswar:
-Scores of pregnant women in Odisha, with due date prior to June 1, were reluctant to go to hospital amid the Covid pandemic and with Cyclone Yaas approaching. After much persuasion by the administration, over 4,000 pregnant women were shifted to hospitals of whom 774 gave birth in the last two days in 10 coastal districts affected by the cyclone. Now, all of them are thankful to the administration for shifting them to hospitals in the nick of time, reports Minati Singha.
-===Croc breeding centre in Sunderbans damaged===
-[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIM/2021/05/27&entity=Ar00717&sk=C280605B&mode=text  Krishnendu Mukherjee, May 27, 2021: ''The Times of India'']
-Kolkata:
-Ripples of Yaas were felt on the Sunderbans, with both its wildlife and forest camps bearing the brunt of the cyclone that made a landfall on the Odisha coast on Wednesday, reports Krishnendu Mukherjee. Since it coincided with high tide, it led to major damage to Bhagabatpur crocodile breeding and Jharkhali rescue centres, and inundation of at least 18 forest camps and three range offices. Five spotted deer and a wild boar were rescued by villagers and forest staff.
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-=C: REGION-WISE. STATISTICS=
-=Mumbai=
-==History: 1940s, 2021 ==
-[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL/2021/05/18&entity=Ar01123&sk=2E1A1260&mode=text  Richa Pinto & Sharmila Ganesan, May 18, 2021: ''The Times of India'']
-[[File: Severe storms and Mumbai- as in 2021 May.jpg|Severe storms and Mumbai: as in 2021 May <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL/2021/05/18&entity=Ar01123&sk=2E1A1260&mode=text  Richa Pinto & Sharmila Ganesan, May 18, 2021: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
-Back in November 1940, when cyclones didn’t have names, the Arabian Sea threw an unprecedented, untimely night-long tantrum that cost Mumbai more than Rs 25 lakh. In the aftermath, bodies floated at Apollo Bunder, Colaba, Mazgaon docks and other sea faces even as piles of planks, broken masts and other pieces of timber turned the harbour from Colaba to Sewri into one long graveyard of ships.
-The next one in 1948, again in November, left wreckage in its wake from cargoes carried by around 300 “country craft”, littering fishing villages in Versova, Danda and Thana too. About 100 lives, chiefly crew and owners of ships and boats, were feared lost and a 1,000-ton Norwegian steamer called ‘Marly’ — which left Bombay for the Malabar coast — vanished. According to TOI reports, seven people were killed Mumbai on the day and a hundred injured.
-Tauktae is probably the closest Mumbai has come since to experiencing a severe storm, with wind speeds of up to 108 kmph near the Colaba seafront. Tauktae, experts say, was at its most intense at its closest to the Mumbai coast (distance of 120 km) before it propelled away towards Gujarat. An extreme weather event of this nature, so close to the city, portends a warning about the likely consequences of ignoring climate change, say experts.
-This is the third year in a row that cyclones in the Arabian Sea have menaced the west coast. Nisarga in 2020 even made landfall near Alibaug in Maharashtra while in 2019 Vayu moved parallel to the shoreline.
+''The number of Indians (and other nationals) who received science & engineering, and other, PhDs in the USA.''
-Experts said the recent frequency of cyclones was a clear sign of temperatures rising in the Arabian Sea. These low-pressure systems are formed when warm, moist air rises up from the sea surface. Historically, waters off the western coast have experienced fewer storms than the Bay of Bengal, and typically weaker. “The rapid warming of the Arabian Sea is leading to not just more cyclones but also more extreme rain events... Due to these warm ocean conditions, it is seen that the cyclone intensifies from a weak cyclone to an extremely severe cyclone rapidly. This rapid intensification also means we need to ensure our forecasting is accurate,” said Roxy Mathew Koll, a climate scientist at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune.
+=STEM-OPT=
+==2016-17==
+[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F03%2F14&entity=Ar02016&sk=B3958FB6&mode=text  Lubna Kably, OPT for foreign students does not harm Americans, says US-based think-tank, March 14, 2019: ''The Times of India'']
-Akshay Deoras, an independent meteorologist and a PhD student at the department of meteorology, University of Reading in UK, said a cyclone is not much of a menace if it dissipates over the sea itself. “However, if it comes so close to the coast like cyclone Tauktae did and Nisarga last year which made a landfall here, then it’s a massive threat. Also with it intensifying so rapidly, the authorities find very little time to evacuate those living along the coast. This is now seen to be happening frequently with the storms in the Arabian Sea,” said Deoras.
+[[File: No. of STEM-OPT students ( %age to total),  presumably as in 2016-17.jpg|No. of STEM-OPT students ( %age to total),  presumably as in 2016-17 <br/> From: [https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2019%2F03%2F14&entity=Ar02016&sk=B3958FB6&mode=text  Lubna Kably, OPT for foreign students does not harm Americans, says US-based think-tank, March 14, 2019: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
-With little control over the discharge of greenhouse gases and the consequent rise in temperatures, warming in the Arabian Sea is certainly a trend that’s likely to written about in these columns again and again.
-==Till 2020, a clean record==
+The National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP), a US based nonprofit research entity, in its recent report has said there is no evidence that foreign students participating in the Optional Practical Training (OPT) reduce job opportunities for Americans. Foreign students are eligible for a 12-month OPT under which they can work in the US. Those who have completed their degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) are eligible for applying for a further OPT extension of 24 months.
-[https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIDEL%2F2020%2F06%2F03&entity=Ar00911&sk=1B9090E3&mode=text  Vaishnavi Chandrashekhar, Mumbai has never faced a cyclone in recorded history, June 3, 2020: ''The Times of India'']
-If a cyclone makes landfall in Mumbai, it will be one for the record books. The city has never been hit by one in documented history — even a story about an 1882 Bombay cyclone that was supposed to have killed 100,000 was shown by scientist Adam Sobel to be an urban legend.
+The regulatory agenda of the Trump administration has from time to time indicated a proposed overhaul of the OPT programme to reduce fraud and to protect the interest of American workers. NFAP points out that the OPT is a win-win for foreign students and US employers. It enables employers to judge if a foreign student is a good fit before sponsoring him or her for a costly and scarce H-1B work visa. The OPT programme gives foreign students (and their employers) multiple shots at obtaining an H-1B visa, particularly if they are eligible for a STEM extension.
-The reason for Mumbai’s low risk lies in the weather dynamics of the Arabian Sea. On an average, the sea sees just one or two cyclonic formations every year. When they do form, they tend to go west towards Oman and the Gulf of Aden. Or they head north towards Gujarat.
+Based on statistical evidence, the report shows that foreign students working in the US via the OPT programme account for a small share of new graduates — ranging from one to 13% of STEM graduates, depending on the degree levels and constitute a far smaller share of US workers. In fiscal 2016 (year ending September 30, 2016), OPT participants comprised of less than 1% of all workers with a bachelor’s degree in a STEM field.
-This typical north/west trajectory springs from a few factors. Easterlies nudge the system away from the northwestern coast, says Sridhar Balasubramanian, professor of mechanical engineering at IIT Bombay.
+The OPT programme requires that foreign students work in a job directly related to their major, so a better gauge of the relative size of the OPT programme may be the number of foreign students doing OPT as compared to the number of workers in STEM occupations. If this parameter is chosen, OPT participants comprised about 2.5% of workers in STEM occupations with at least a bachelor’s degree, the report explained.
-A pre-monsoon formation of an area of high pressure, known as a sub-tropical ridge, along the western coast also creates a barrier. Even when a strong cyclone forms, it can weaken as it approaches land.
+Rajiv S Khanna, managing attorney at Immigration.com told TOI: “Anecdotally, from our own clients, we see difficulty in hiring qualified people in STEM professions. Several of our clients have opened offices in Canada, because US immigration policies are implemented by the administration inconsistently... We can see no rationale for any change in policy making it more difficult for US trained students to remain in the USA and for US businesses to hire and retain qualified people.”
-More recently, storm systems, including the current one, have been forming close to Kerala. Because of the friction provided by land, they do not intensify as strongly. Still, a 2015 study from Princeton found a rise in cyclonic activity in the fast-warming Arabian Sea.
+=Subjects,universities  that Indian students prefer=
+==2013-15==
+[http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Gallery.aspx?id=16_11_2016_011_028_003&type=P&artUrl=STATOISTICS-AMERICAN-ALMA-MATER-16112016011028&eid=31808  November 16, 2016: ''The Times of India'']
-Last year saw five of eight Indian Ocean cyclones forming in the Arabian Sea — the most since 1902. For scientist Sobel, even a small risk is worth preparing for. Hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean had never turned towards New York — until Hurricane Sandy did in 2012 lashing the city with a six-foot storm surge. A surge could be devastating for a Mumbai already still struggling with a pandemic.
-[[Category:Climate/ Meteorology|C CYCLONIC WINDS: INDIACYCLONIC WINDS: INDIACYCLONIC WINDS: INDIACYCLONIC WINDS: INDIACYCLONIC WINDS: INDIACYCLONIC WINDS: INDIA
+[[File: What Indian students study at US universities, at which universities.jpg| Indian and other international students at US universities, 2013-15 <br/> i) what they studied, <br/> mainly at which universities <br/> iii) the countries that they mainly came from, <br/> iv) which subjects grew more popular. <br/> [http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Gallery.aspx?id=16_11_2016_011_028_003&type=P&artUrl=STATOISTICS-AMERICAN-ALMA-MATER-16112016011028&eid=31808  November 16, 2016: ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
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-=See also=
-[[Cyclonic winds: India]]
-[[Monsoons: India]]
+'''See  graphic''':
-[[Storms (dust-, hail-, rain-, thunder-): India]]
+''Indian and other international students at US universities, 2013-15 <br/> i) what they studied, <br/> mainly at which universities <br/> iii) the countries that they mainly came from, <br/> iv) which subjects grew more popular.''
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+Every sixth international student in the US is an Indian. They comprise almost 16% of the international student community and mostly study science, technology, engineering and mathematics
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Cyclonic winds, cyclones: South Asia, Indian students in the USA

Revision as of 17:56, 21 June 2021

Contents

History

1883-2020

Numbers, contribution to the US economy

2010-17

2011: Number of visa applicants on a rise

2013-14, an increase of 6%

2013-17

2013-19: numbers, trends

2015: 133,000 students, 3.6 bn

2015-16: India no.2 source, but highest growth (24.9%)

2015-18: graduate applications decline

2016-17/ percentage of increase 12.3% than 25% (2015-16)

2016> 2017: Fewer Indians joined US engg colleges

2016> 2017: 27% decrease

2017: Only 4% of Indian students overstayed

2018: Indian students bag 56% of job training slots

2018: Growth in Indian student numbers slows

2018-19: a 2.9% increase

2019: 2lakh Indian students, 75% of them in masters

2019: Indians applying to business schools drop from 57 to 45%

2019-20

Fitting in

As in 2019

PhDs

2005-15

STEM-OPT

2016-17

Subjects,universities that Indian students prefer

2013-15

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