US Job Rejection for Indian Student Sparks Painful Ordeal: 'They Didn't Even Look at My Resume'

Indian students in the US are facing unprecedented job rejections, with many attributing it to a single question: 'Are you a US citizen?' According to The New York Times, Sai Sushma Pasupuleti, a PhD student in electrical engineering from the University of Houston, was met with this question at a recent job fair. Despite having a well-crafted resume in hand, Pasupuleti's conversation came to an abrupt halt when she replied no. Pasupuleti, who had initially aspired to study in Germany but chose the US due to its prestige, now struggles to comprehend why a nation that heavily invests in educating students like her appears willing to send them away. Her experience is not an isolated incident, with several Indian students in the US facing an uncertain future. The decline in international students from India, which decreased by 44 percent this year, indicates deeper issues beyond policy changes. With Indians constituting one of the largest pools of skilled labor and international students, this trend is a cause for concern. Pasupuleti believes that Europe might present a more secure alternative for her future, but for now, she is left to wonder why a nation that values education seems to be turning its back on students like her. Indian students, who typically do not face the recently raised $100,000 H-1B fee when seeking a change of status domestically, are now facing a rising tide of anti-India sentiment. This trend is a stark contrast to the remarkable success narrative of Indian immigrants in America, who have consistently surpassed other ethnic groups in terms of education and household income.