Indian student enrolment in the United States has declined by around 6.9%, with more than 3.5 lakh students currently pursuing studies across institutions, the Centre informed the Rajya Sabha on April 2.

Responding to queries on whether “scarce visa slots” and higher rejection rates were contributing to the drop, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh cited data from the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) of the US Department of Homeland Security.

According to the data, the number of Indian students in the US stood at 3,78,787 in February 2025, which fell to 3,52,644 in February 2026—indicating a 6.9% decline in overall enrolment.

The government acknowledged that increased visa scrutiny by US authorities has played a role. Singh referred to a June 18, 2025 announcement by the US Department of State on expanded screening and vetting of visa applicants, including stricter checks to identify individuals deemed “inadmissible” or posing national security concerns.

Under the updated guidelines, applicants in F, M, and J visa categories are now subject to comprehensive vetting, including scrutiny of their online presence. Applicants are also required to set their social media profiles to ‘public’ to facilitate background checks.

The US administration has reiterated that a visa is “a privilege, not a right”, with each application treated as a national security decision. Even after approval, visas remain under monitoring, and violations can lead to revocation and deportation.

Such violations may include discontinuing academic programmes without notifying authorities, minor legal infractions like driving without a licence, driving under the influence, overstaying visa validity, or engaging in activities inconsistent with visa conditions.

“These measures, including increased scrutiny and compliance requirements, have had an impact on the number of US student visas issued to Indian nationals,” Singh said.

While noting that visa policies are a sovereign matter, the Centre said it has been consistently raising concerns faced by Indian students with US authorities. The Ministry of External Affairs remains engaged in efforts to ensure smoother, secure, and mutually beneficial mobility pathways for students and professionals.