Tri-Valley case: US nod for transfer of 435 Indian students

US authorities have "examined individually" cases of over 1,000 Indian students who had enrolled at California-based "sham" Tri-Valley University, approving transfer of 435 of them to other institutions.

Officials of Department of Homeland Security, Department of State, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement and US Citizenship and Immigration Services met representatives of Indian embassy in Washington on Friday and discussed several issues relating to Indian students at the Tri-Valley University (TVU), which was raided and shut down by authorities earlier this year on charges of a massive immigration fraud.

The US officials informed that out of more than 1000 students, who were being considered for transfer to other universities, 435 transfers were approved, 145 were denied and about an equal number were issued Notices of Intention to Deny (NOIDs), the Indian embassy said in a statement.

The remaining transfer cases are still under examination.

US officials further said cases of students have been "examined individually after evaluating all information provided by them."

They have advised that students who have received NOIDs should reply to the notices within the stipulated time with the required documents.

Indian officials urged US officials to view the cases of the students with "understanding" since they have undergone hardship due to the closure of the university.

"The embassy of India is continuing its efforts with US authorities for addressing the plight of TVU students," the statement said.

The issue of protecting students from sham universities figured on the agenda of the first ever India-US higher education summit held in Washington last week.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had said the US is expanding its education USA advising services for Indian students and families to provide accurate information about opportunities to study in the country and help students "sort out misleading offers that come over the internet."

She said those offers flood into homes across India, giving young Indian students the idea that certain approaches will work for them when in fact it is a "dead end."