KARIMNAGAR: IT minister K.T. Rama Rao on Saturday said he would lead a delegation of representatives of the IT sector in the state and related organisations to the Centre, seeking measures to protect the interests of the industry in the wake of US President Donald Trump’s statements on H1B visa and proposed legislation in the US Congress.
Speaking to mediapersons in Karimnagar, Mr Rama Rao said the TS government would ask Indian business leaders and IT companies in the US, who were well-wishers of the state, to protect the industry which was India’s second biggest exporter of IT goods.
He said there was nothing much to worry about Mr Trump’s statements as there was an established system in the US, and all policies would get through only after serious discussions in Congress.
40 per cent fall in inquiries for U.S. varsities
The Trump administration is primarily focusing on tightening norms for H-1B visas but the tremors are being felt among F-1 applicants. Students from Telugu states, of whom engineering graduates are a large majority, prefer to travel to the US for Masters.
Students who pass out in June 2017 target the September admissions in prestigious US institutions. The groundwork like applying for colleges to get I-20 (admission approval) begins in December and gains momentum after February.
There has been a dip of up to 40 per cent in inquiries for US admissions for the last few weeks in many city consultancies. The trend started after the victory of Mr Donald Trump in the US Presidential election in in November.
There is not much activity in formalities for applying US visa now. According to overseas consultants, students after getting I-20 leave for the US mostly in July and August for the classes in September. Students apply for their visa a month ahead and the activity will begin from May, sources said.
