In what some agents say is something completely new, the department of immigration has apparently started refusing student visa applications of Indian students who have completed Class XII from schools affiliated to the Punjab School Education Board.
According to a report in the Times of India, in a rejection letter sent to an Indian student who had applied for a "vocational education and training sector (subclass 572) visa", the department’s refusal letter stated that "education and examinations conducted through the PSEB are not listed as equivalent to an Australian Grade 12 qualification under the Australian Education International - National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition Guidelines (AEI-NOOSR)".
Speaking to the newspaper, an education agent said that "Citing this reason is completely new…There have been several rejections on this ground in the last couple of days."
According to the report Punjab education minister Daljit Singh Cheema is investigating the matter. Mr Cheema told the newspaper that, "PSEB is one of the best boards in the country. Till date, thousands of students who have passed from PSEB are studying in different parts of the world and excelling in their respective fields. The board is strictly following the National Curriculum Framework - 2005 and is a member of the Council of Board of Secondary Education (COBSE).”
The PSEB is a statutory authority that governs almost every aspect and stage of school education in Punjab.
Mr Cheema said that any student facing difficulties in obtaining recognition of their PSEB studies when applying for an overseas visa should notify the PSEB so that the matter "could be further raised to the highest level at the earliest."
Indian and other subcontinental students produce any kind of certificate DIBP asks for- no matter what, they produce certificates and transcripts from any University in India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh and other countries. Some charge up to $10,000 for a certificate but some can get it for $100.
Reference letters, Certificates, Transcripts, proof of funds and work experience references are all available for cheap rates, but some pay larger sums to agents who provide these services.
DIBP is waking up to reality and hope they check the veracity of at least some of these "real" "authentic", "genuine" documents provided for student visas, 457, 189, 190, and other visas!!
Ah yes the Punjab ..
A significant number of overseas students from India are form the Punjab.
The Punjab holds one of the highest levels of personal wealth in India through agriculture.
The Punjab has parlous public infrastructure and education per historical "factors" that exist between the state and New Delhi. It is also strategically borders Pakistan and Kashmir.
The Punjab has long been a cashcow for western countries in terms of supply of overseas students. Quality control has been overlooked in favour of $$$ and overseas education industry.
I visited Punjab in 2014 and was bemused at all the "colleges" that exist to prepare potential persons to apply for a student visa (I was rolled out as the "Australian" male).
Irrespective of the PSEB (and who knows how it operates), continuing to use the Punjab as a cashcow will lead to further dramas and scams that we could never even dream up!