(Image source from: Oneindia.com)

Indian students in the UK and those arriving in Japan this year are concerned about escalating anti-immigration protests in the island nation, which is embroiled in one of the worst unrest in 13 years. The UK is currently home to over 180,000 Indian students, making it one of the top five international destinations. The rest are Canada, the United States, Australia and Germany. India on Tuesday issued a caution warning for its citizens traveling to Britain as violent protests continued in several British cities. Study abroad platforms such as Leverage.biz, Collegify, iSchoolConnect and AECC Global have been answering panicked calls and questions about developments in the UK since last week. This includes both existing Indian students in the UK and new students looking to start their studies this year. Students typically enroll in college in August and September.

“We hear about people being placed under house arrest. Students who are on the verge of expulsion are thinking about it,” said Collegify promoter Adarsh Kahandelwal. “Many students are asking their respective universities for a postponement. The situation is likely to calm down soon but parents do not want to compromise on safety,” he said. In recent days, leaders have said parents fear their wards could inadvertently become involved in protests and offered advice on the current situation in England. “Like local police, we are currently in the UK to avoid travel to conflict areas.”

The student, originally from New Delhi and currently studying at King's College London, said his parents were worried about returning home. “I’m trying to reassure them,” he said on condition of anonymity. People with children already studying in the UK make numerous phone calls to inquire about their child's safety. “This is scary news. You feel helpless when you are so far away,” said a parent of a child studying abroad in Manchester. Several students who use the Collegify platform to realize their dreams of studying abroad told ET that they were nervous about going to England. Khandelwal said some were looking for alternative countries, such as staying in India. Popular courses among Indian students include Engineering and Technology, Business and Management, Computer Science and Information Technology, Medicine and Healthcare, Law and Social Sciences. The best British universities for Indian students are Oxford University, Cambridge University, Imperial College, London School of Economics and Political Science, University College London and University of Edinburgh.

Vaibhav Gupta, chief marketing officer at iSchoolConnect, an AI-powered study abroad program, said his company expects the number of British students to fall by 20 percent this year. Mr Gupta said: “The current situation has expedited their decision. Macroeconomic conditions and strict visa requirements are now causing students to reconsider the UK." Mr Agarwal, Director of South Asia and Africa, said: "AECC recognizes that the confidence of students wanting to study in the UK has declined significantly. We understand the concerns caused by anti-immigrant sentiment and protests.”