Us bound Indian students beware

New Delhi, Aug. 9 -- Indian students may need to rely on their own investigations to avoid the web of fraudulent US universities that continues to thicken because of a weak regulatory structure recently slammed by the audit arm of the US Congress.

While the cautionary tale is late for the 450 Indian students of Herguan University in Sunnyvale, California, who are under threat of deportation, prospective students can take heed.

On August 2, Herguan University CEO was arrested for visa fraud. The duped students have to leave the US this week unless they transfer to a legal university, a department of homeland security statement has said.

In January 2011, 1,000 Indians returned home after the Tri Valley University fraud.

In a report to Congress, the US government accountability office - the equivalent of India's CAG - had blamed immigration authorities for failure to stop fraud universities from attracting foreign students.

Published by HT Syndication with permission from Hindustan Times.