Washington: Hundreds of Indian students who have gotten scammed by a dodgy California-based university had it coming. Tri-Valley University (TVU) had a reputation as a “Diploma Mill” that offered a spurious route to job and immigration in the US. Inquiring students and professionals knew about it, discussed it in immigration forums, and warned others about it. 

    But eager beavers looking for a short cut to emigrating to the US through a questionable academic route ignored the red flags. After US authorities busted the scam, an estimated 1,500 students, some of them gullible victims, some of them scheming immigrant hopefuls, face financial loss, loss of time, loss of credits, loss of face, and in some cases, even face deportation. 

    Here’s how the scam unfolded: India, from among all countries, has been sending the maximum number of students to US colleges over the past decade —some 10,000 to 15,000 each year. Most aspiring students try and get into the top 50 schools, which have stringent qualifying standards, including exams such as GRE and GMAT, besides TOEFL, an English proficiency test. The process involves gaining admission on the basis of test scores, in lieu of which the university, if it accredited and complaint with US rules, sends an I-20 document to the accepted student, which he or she presents to the embassy or consulate in the home country to get an F-1 student visa. 

But in recent years, several dodgy varsities have come up which waive GRE/GMAT requirements as long as students can pay dollars up front in the form of ‘fees.’ More pertinently, these colleges dubiously facilitate Optical Practical Training (OPT) and Curricular Practical Training (CPT), the two routes to employment at the end of the college degree, from the first day of enrollment.