Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 04:26pm on 13 Jan 2026,Tuesday India Global
Australia has moved India to its "highest-risk" category (Assessment Level 3) for student visa applications, effective January 8, alongside Nepal, Bangladesh, and Bhutan. Indian students now face rigorous background checks, bank statement scrutiny, additional English certification, and educational verification, significantly increasing processing times. India ranks second only to China in Australian international enrollments, with 140,000 students versus China's 190,000. The reclassification follows Kerala Police uncovering a fake degree racket supplying fraudulent documents to over 1 million international university applicants, triggering political controversy in Australia. Australian authorities cited "emerging integrity issues" while emphasizing continued support for genuine students seeking quality education. (PC: Reuters)
