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Concerned over the decrease in the percentage of Indian students going to America for higher studies, the United States on Thursday said it had plans to increase the number of visas for them and also speed up the visa issuance process.
"We are very much committed to assuring every Indian student admitted to a legitimate institution of higher education in the US that he or she will be granted visa on time," Karen P Hughes, US Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, said in New Delhi.
"We have increased the number of visas for Indian students and we want to further increase the number," Hughes said.
Hughes is on a week-long visit to India, heading a delegation of six US university presidents in an effort to expand educational partnerships with India.
The delegation called on Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh to discuss two-way students' exchange programmes with India.
"We discussed a variety of ideas like faculty exchange programme, student exchange programme and joint degree programme," Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Thomas A Farrell said about the meeting.
He said the US was waking up to the reality that it is losing its advantage in drawing top-grade students from countries like India due to visa hurdles.