Court reprieve for Indian students in UK university

Indian and other non-EU students at the London Metropolitan University heaved a sigh of relief on Friday as the high court allowed them to continue their studies and permitted the university to challenge the recent revocation of its licence to admit non-EU students.

LMU's application for interim relief was granted by Justice Irwin, who ordered that the non-EU students be allowed to resume their courses from Monday.

There are currently 359 Indian students enrolled on various courses at the university.

The UK Border Agency (UKBA) had revoked LMU's licence to admit and teach non-EU students on August 29, due to what it called "serious and systemic failures".

The revocation had put the academic future over 2,600 current non-EU students in disarray as LMU denied the charges.

As the judicial review progresses through the court, and the existing students continue their courses, the university will still not be able to admit new non-EU students due to the revocation.

LMU vice-chancellor Malcolm Gillies welcomed the court ruling.

A taskforce put in place to find alternative courses in other universities for the affected students had been put in place after the revocation, but it may not continue in view of todays high court ruling.

The ruling means a reprieve for the non-EU students who faced deportation if they were unable to find alternative courses after December.

At the hearing, solicitor Richard Gordon appearing the LMU said there were "two major areas of dispute".

One was whether the UKBA's decision had been lawful and the other was whether "requirements of fairness" applied, meaning London Met should have been informed prior to the revocation notice and allowed to make representations.