&w=3840&q=100)
Trump wants 15% cap on foreign students: What it means for Indians
'I think they should have a cap of maybe around 15%, not 31%,' Trump said on Wednesday at the White House, taking direct aim at the institution's current admissions practices. 'We have people who want to go to Harvard and other schools, they can't get in because we have foreign students there.'
This new target follows Trump's attempt last week to stop Harvard from enrolling any foreign students. His push against Harvard and other universities has become part of a wider drive to reshape policies on everything from admissions to hiring. Officials say the move is part of efforts to tackle antisemitism linked to protests against Israel's war in Gaza.
Funding freezes and lawsuits
Trump's remarks come as the administration has frozen more than $2.6 billion in federal research funding for Harvard.
Harvard has responded by suing the government over the funding cuts and secured a temporary court order stopping the administration from banning international students altogether.
At Harvard, nearly 6,800 students — 27% of the student body — come from overseas, up from 20% in 2006, according to the university. When including fellows, non-degree participants and their dependents, the number of international people on campus exceeds 10,000.
'I want to make sure that the foreign students are people that can love our country,' Trump said.
Foreign students are a key source of revenue for US universities, typically paying full tuition fees. Harvard offers financial aid to international undergraduates.
Trump has also repeated calls for Harvard to lose its tax-exempt status, despite its endowment of $53 billion. His administration is moving to end all federal contracts with the university.
Impact on Indian students
Among those watching closely are the roughly 788 Indian students currently enrolled at Harvard.
'This development is particularly concerning given that India has become the leading source of international students in the US,' noted Sanjog Anand, co-founder of Rostrum Education. He pointed out that over 331,600 Indian students were enrolled in the US during the 2023–24 academic year, making up nearly 30% of the international student body.
Anand told Business Standard, 'While the situation is concerning, it's important to remember that universities and advocacy groups are already working towards swift resolutions. The Trump administration has given Harvard six conditions that need to be fulfilled. Instead of jumping to conclusions, we should allow the matter to unfold further.'
Saurabh Arora, founder and CEO of University Living, weighed in: 'The US Department of Homeland Security's move to pause Harvard's ability to enrol new international students comes amid concerns around campus climate and administrative oversight.
'The United States remains a top choice for Indian students, thanks to its world-class universities, research opportunities, and professional pathways. However, these developments may prompt families to more carefully weigh their options, especially those prioritising policy consistency and transparency.
'It's important to remember that international students contribute more than just tuition. They bring global perspectives that enrich classrooms and research. According to our Indian Student Mobility Report 2024, Indian students are projected to spend $17.4 billion annually, including $10.1 billion on academic expenses alone.'
A mixed picture
For Rahul Subramaniam, co-founder of Athena Education, the recent policy signals should be seen in a wider context. 'International students — especially those from India — are integral to the US higher education ecosystem. Many public universities rely on their presence for both academic strength and financial sustainability,' he said.
He continued: 'We see the current developments as a moment of flux, not a structural shift. While some recent measures may appear restrictive, similar actions in the past have been swiftly reversed or modified to avoid long-term impact. At the same time, there have been contrasting proposals aimed at attracting top international talent, including suggestions like automatic green cards for high-achieving graduates. These reaffirm the United States' continued recognition of global talent.'
Nikhil Mudgal, founder and CEO of Lorien Finance, noted: 'It's important to remember that this is a developing story. A federal judge in California has already issued an injunction, providing temporary relief by blocking the administration's efforts to revoke the legal status of thousands of international students.
'That said, the situation highlights the need to stay informed and prepared. Students should maintain close communication with university officials, seek expert immigration advice and be open to alternative pathways if necessary.'
Sripal Jain, co-founder of Simandhar Education, cautioned that the situation could have far-reaching consequences: 'While national security and institutional accountability are important considerations, the sweeping nature of this action, impacting nearly 6,800 international students, raises concerns about proportionality and the broader implications for global academic collaboration.
'It is crucial that affected students seek timely guidance from educational counsellors and relevant authorities to manage this evolving situation. We remain hopeful that constructive dialogue will lead to a resolution that upholds both national interests and the foundational values of academic freedom and international exchange.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
8 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Trump administration wants to end U.N. peacekeeping in Lebanon; Europe pushing back
The future of U.N. peacekeepers in Lebanon has split the United States and its European allies, raising implications for security in the Middle East and becoming the latest snag to vex relations between the U.S. and key partners like France, Britain and Italy. At issue is the peacekeeping operation known as UNIFIL, whose mandate expires at the end of August and will need to be renewed by the U.N. Security Council to continue. It was created to oversee the withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon after Israel's 1978 invasion, and its mission was expanded following the month-long 2006 war between Israel and the militant group Hezbollah. The multinational force has played a significant role in monitoring the security situation in southern Lebanon for decades, including during the Israel-Hezbollah war last year, but has drawn criticism from both sides and numerous U.S. lawmakers, some of whom now hold prominent roles in President Donald Trump's administration or wield new influence with the White House. Trump administration political appointees came into office this year with the aim of shutting down UNIFIL as soon as possible. They regard the operation as an ineffectual waste of money that is merely delaying the goal of eliminating Hezbollah's influence and restoring full security control to the Lebanese Armed Forces that the government says it is not yet capable of doing. After securing major cuts in U.S. funding to the peacekeeping force, Secretary of State Marco Rubio signed off early last week on a plan that would wind down and end UNIFIL in the next six months, according to Trump administration officials and congressional aides familiar with the discussions. It's another step as the Trump administration drastically pares back its foreign affairs priorities and budget, including expressing scepticism of international alliances and cutting funding to U.N. agencies and missions. The transatlantic divide also has been apparent on issues ranging from Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza and the Russia-Ukraine conflict to trade, technology and free speech issues. Europeans push back against a quick end to U.N. peacekeeping in Lebanon Israel has for years sought an end to UNIFIL's mandate, and renewal votes have often come after weeks of political wrangling. Now, the stakes are particularly high after last year's war and more vigorous opposition in Washington. European nations, notably France and Italy, have objected to winding down UNIFIL. With the support of Tom Barrack, U.S. ambassador to Turkiye and envoy to Lebanon, they successfully lobbied Rubio and others to support a one-year extension of the peacekeeping mandate followed by a time-certain wind-down period of six months, according to the administration officials and congressional aides, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private diplomatic negotiations. Israel also reluctantly agreed to an extension, they said. The European argument was that prematurely ending UNIFIL before the Lebanese army is able to fully secure the border area would create a vacuum that Hezbollah could easily exploit. The French noted that when a U.N. peacekeeping mission in Mali was terminated before government troops were ready to deal with security threats, Islamic extremists moved in. With the U.S. easing off, the issue ahead of the U.N. vote expected at the end of August now appears to be resistance by France and others to setting a firm deadline for the operation to end after the one-year extension, according to the officials and congressional aides. French officials did not respond to requests for comment The final French draft resolution, obtained by The Associated Press, does not include a date for UNIFIL's withdrawal, which U.S. officials say is required for their support. Instead, it would extend the peacekeeping mission for one year and indicates the U.N. Security Council's 'intention to work on a withdrawal.' But even if the mandate is renewed, the peacekeeping mission might be scaled down for financial reasons, with the U.N. system likely facing drastic budget cuts, said a U.N. official, who was not authorised to comment to the media and spoke on condition of anonymity. One of the U.S. officials said an option being considered was reducing UNIFIL's numbers while boosting its technological means to monitor the situation on the ground. The peacekeeping force has faced criticism There are about 10,000 peacekeepers in southern Lebanon, while the Lebanese army has around 6,000 soldiers, a number that is supposed to increase to 10,000. Hezbollah supporters in Lebanon have frequently accused the U.N. mission of collusion with Israel and sometimes attacked peacekeepers on patrol. Israel, meanwhile, has accused the peacekeepers of turning a blind eye to Hezbollah's military activities in southern Lebanon and lobbied for its mandate to end. Sarit Zehavi, a former Israeli military intelligence analyst and founder of the Israeli think tank Alma Research and Education Center, said UNIFIL has played a 'damaging role with regard to the mission of disarming Hezbollah in south Lebanon.' She pointed to the discovery of Hezbollah tunnels and weapons caches close to UNIFIL facilities during and after last year's Israel-Hezbollah war, when much of the militant group's senior leadership was killed and much of its arsenal destroyed. Hezbollah is now under increasing pressure to give up the rest of its weapons. U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said UNIFIL continues to discover unauthorised weapons, including rocket launchers, mortar rounds and bomb fuses, this week, which it reported to the Lebanese army. Under the U.S.- and France-brokered ceasefire, Israel and Hezbollah were to withdraw from southern Lebanon, with the Lebanese army taking control in conjunction with UNIFIL. Israel has continued to occupy five strategic points on the Lebanese side and carry out near-daily airstrikes that it says aim to stop Hezbollah from regrouping. Lebanon supports keeping U.N. peacekeepers Lebanese officials have called for UNIFIL to remain, saying the country's cash-strapped and overstretched army is not yet able to patrol the full area on its own until it. Retired Lebanese Army Gen. Khalil Helou said that if UNIFIL's mandate were to abruptly end, soldiers would need to be pulled away from the porous border with Syria, where smuggling is rife, or from other areas inside of Lebanon — 'and this could have consequences for the stability' of the country. UNIFIL 'is maybe not fulfilling 100% what the Western powers or Israel desire. But for Lebanon, their presence is important,' he said. The United Nations also calls the peacekeepers critical to regional stability, Mr. Dujarric said. UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti said deciding on the renewal of the mandate is the prerogative of the U.N. Security Council. 'We are here to assist the parties in implementation of the mission's mandate and we're waiting for the final decision,' he said.
The Hindu
8 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Why we need a research-based social entrepreneurship course in Indian academia
India is making strides in digital innovation and financial growth, but still faces challenges such as unemployment, inequality, and the rural-urban gap. As a result, social entrepreneurship is becoming popular as a strong way to connect businesses with social impact. To fully realise its potential, universities need to include research-based, practical social entrepreneurship in their curricula. Recent data from the GUESSS India 2023 Survey shows a notable change in career goals among Indian university students: 33% are in the early stages of starting their businesses, while 4.8% are already running revenue-generating start-ups. However, 70% still intend to find jobs after graduation, although this figure drops to around 52% over five years. Despite this, Indian students exhibit the highest global entrepreneurial intent, scoring 4.6 on a scale of 7, compared to the global average of 3.7. Nearly 63% get initial investments or support from their universities. This reflects a rising interest among today's youth in having independence, social impact, and the chance to build something that not only creates profit but also tackles important national issues, going beyond traditional career paths. Transformative approach Social entrepreneurship is an increasingly recognised effective model to bridge the gap between social justice and economic development. Unlike traditional business models that prioritise market returns, social enterprises focus on serving underserved and neglected communities, offering scalable and sustainable solutions. Addressing the root causes of inequality — like access to clean water, quality healthcare, education, and decent livelihoods — drives social entrepreneurs. The Stanford Social Innovation Review points out that businesses focused on underserved and untapped markets can make a real social impact while still being financially viable. India's development issues — such as rural sanitation, clean energy, climate resilience, and women's empowerment — create a strong environment for social entrepreneurship projects. India has many innovative ventures that highlight successful social entrepreneurship. At IIM BAngalore, Saahas Zero Waste has turned the campus into a model of a circular economy by focusing on waste segregation, composting, and recycling. Tamil Nadu's Gramalaya NGO has enhanced sanitation, hygiene, and clean water access while building self-sustaining financing models for toilet construction. These stories go beyond programs and numbers; they focus on people. Research-led innovation Private universities bring together scholars from many fields. When they join forces to tackle real-world issues and turn their research into practical solutions, they can unlock the untapped potential of India's Ph.D.s. For instance, a public policy scholar studying poverty might collaborate with an engineering scholar to create a solution. A business scholar could then help expand this solution, leading to both academic success and positive social change. Universities should take an important role in encouraging such teamwork across disciplines to support social entrepreneurship. They should promote research that tackles social issues, moving from a purely theoretical activity into something that drives real change. Despite a growing start-up ecosystem, disruptive innovation is rare. Research scholars can improve socially driven innovation by applying their expertise to real-world problems. To become an 'impact nation,' India needs inclusive, non-urban-centred innovation. This means integrating social entrepreneurship into education, policy, and practice. The writer is Curator of Ph,D. VISTA Programme, Alliance University, Bengaluru.
Time of India
8 minutes ago
- Time of India
Trump says no imminent plans to penalise China for buying Russian oil
US President Donald Trump said on Friday he did not immediately need to consider retaliatory tariffs on countries such as China for buying Russian oil but might have to "in two or three weeks." Trump has threatened sanctions on Moscow and secondary sanctions on countries that buy its oil if no moves are made to end the war in Ukraine. China and India are the top two buyers of Russian oil. The president last week imposed an additional 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods, citing its continued imports of Russian oil. However, Trump has not taken similar action against China. He was asked by Fox News' Sean Hannity if he was now considering such action against Beijing after he and Russian President Vladimir Putin failed to produce an agreement to resolve or pause Moscow's war in Ukraine. "Well, because of what happened today, I think I don't have to think about that," Trump said after his summit with Putin in Alaska. "Now, I may have to think about it in two weeks or three weeks or something, but we don't have to think about that right now. I think, you know, the meeting went very well." Chinese President Xi Jinping's slowing economy will suffer if Trump follows through on a promise to ramp up Russia-related sanctions and tariffs. Xi and Trump are working on a trade deal that could lower tensions - and import taxes - between the world's two biggest economies. But China could be the biggest remaining target, outside of Russia, if Trump ramps up punitive measures.
