Gandhinagar: The Australian High Commission in New Delhi has refuted reports alleging that certain Australian educational institutions are blocking student applications from specific states in India.

In response to media claims, the Commission clarified that there are no restrictions or bans on applicants from states like Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, or Jammu and Kashmir.

“The claim that applications from specific Indian states are being banned or restricted is false,” the Australian High Commission stated on April 23, 2025.

The Commission further emphasized, “With over 125,000 Indian students currently studying in Australia, making it the second-largest group of international students, the Australian Government continues to process Indian student visa applications in accordance with our global standards.”

India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) also responded, noting that visa decisions are within the jurisdiction of individual countries.

“Visa matters are sovereign matters. Whether Australia grants a visa to a particular individual is entirely their prerogative. That is how we view it,” said MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal during a press briefing on April 22, 2025, addressing questions about alleged restrictions on Indian applicants from states like Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar.

The issue gained further attention after Australian opposition leader Peter Dutton, on April 6, proposed significant cuts to international student numbers.

Despite concerns over policy changes, new data from February 2025 reveals that India has surpassed China as the leading source of student visas to Australia.

In February alone, 2,734 Indian students were granted visas, up from 2,398 in the previous month. By the end of February, the total number of Indian student visas had exceeded 5,000. DeshGujarat