New Delhi: For Ashish Sharma, the dream was to study and work at MIT—the land of American physicist Richard Feynman. But since last night, his phone’s search history has been filled with options in Europe.
“IITians go to the US to study so that they can eventually land a job there. But this order by the Trump administration has shattered all our dreams,” said Sharma, a physics scholar at IIT Delhi.
Hours after President Trump ordered a hike in the H-1B visa fee to $100,000, a wave of anxiety swept across the IIT Delhi campus. Students here have called the order “reckless” and urged the Modi government to find a middle ground with the US president so that their career prospects aren’t jeopardised.
Every year, a large chunk of IIT graduates head to the United States in pursuit of advanced degrees and jobs, but with the new restrictions, uncertainty has enveloped their dreams. Near the central library, students have formed groups to discuss the new order. Some are still in denial. The Great American Dream—of life, liberty, and a lucrative salary—now lies shattered.
“Aren’t we all born with that American dream? The land where all dreams can be fulfilled. America is not the same anymore,” said Sharma.
Also read: What is American H-1B visa system & why Trump’s $100,000 fee proclamation triggered panic
An uncertain future
It was just two days ago that Mudasir Bhat, 32, a PhD graduate in electronic engineering, gave an interview at a big organisation.
Since last night, he has been checking his mail over and over again for confirmation after the US government order. Near the cafeteria, sitting on a bench, his friends are offering him assurances. He has several questions to ask. One of them is: “Why would an employer pay ₹88 lakh to hire an Indian? Unless we are extraordinary, we can’t even imagine such a big amount.”
His friend Mujeeb had been to the US last year for research and was planning to apply this year. “Students go for a few months on J-1 visas so that they can land a job. But why would anyone waste such money now?” asked Mujeeb.
However, every student had a common question: “Is the Indian job market ready to absorb the workforce that was planning to work in the USA?”
The discussion between Mujeeb and Mudasir drew more students. Among them was Sudaip Chakravarty, who has applied to Harvard University. “Why do Indians go to America? Because the Indian job hierarchy works in a way that even if you are from IIT, it doesn’t matter. But if you have studied or worked in America, you are given preference.”
Everyone nodded in unison.
(Edited by Saptak Datta)
IITians should stay back and start their own companies.