Studying in USA? Indian Embassy asks students to be wary of fake varsities

In recent years, instances of "fake" universities set up by the US law enforcement agencies have come to light, the advisory said.

Students from India are advised to "exercise their due diligence" before seeking admission into American universities, the Indian Embassy here has said, months after over 100 Indians landed in trouble for enroling at a fake educational institution set up by US authorities to expose immigration fraud.

In the unusual advisory, Indian students are advised to take into account several factors, in particular three questions.

"Does the university function from a campus or merely maintains a website and has administrative premises only? If not, such universities are not to be regarded as a bonafide educational institution and admission into such universities should be avoided.

"Does the university have a faculty and regular instructors/educators? If not, admissions to such universities should be avoided. It may be noted that such universities typically employ only administrative staff and their websites have no information in respect of faculty," the advisory said.

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"Does the university have a proper curriculum, hold regular classes and actively implement academic or educational activity? If not, admissions to such universities may be avoided.

"Students admitted to such universities, even if in possession of regular student visa, may be tried for violation of visa norms and subjected to detention and subsequent deportation from the US," it said.

In January, the US authorities busted a "pay to stay" visa racket and arrested 129 Indian students for enroling at a fake university allegedly to remain in the US.

The university in Detroit's Farmington Hills was part of an undercover operation by the Department of Homeland Security designed to expose immigration fraud, according to federal prosecutors who announced charges in the case.

The advisory comes in the wake of hundreds of Indian students becoming a victim of either fake universities or those established by federal agencies to trap recruiters engaged in immigration fraud.