Nagpur: A recent policy change by the UK Visa and Immigration (UKVI) department has left hundreds of Maharashtra students in limbo by no longer recognising Maharashtra govt’s scholarship sponsorship as an official financial guarantee for student visas. Under the revised rules, only national or federal (central) govts qualify as official financial sponsors, putting overseas scholarship recipients at risk of visa rejection and missing university admission deadlines.Students have urged Maharashtra govt to route sponsorship through the Union govt, revise maintenance allowances in line with UK living costs, and streamline scholarship approvals. The issue affects beneficiaries from SC, ST, OBC, minority and open categories and could jeopardise the academic future of meritorious students.The clarification, issued by UKVI on April 17, states that funding only from an applicant’s national govt, approved universities, certain international organisations and reputed international companies qualifies as official financial sponsorship for student visas. It explicitly excludes funding from regional or state govts, local authorities, devolved administrations and state-owned entities, warning that applications relying solely on such sponsorship may be refused if applicants fail to meet the financial requirements through other means.The UK home office said the policy is aimed at ensuring a “consistently verifiable, centrally accountable and internationally recognisable” sponsorship system.The change has created uncertainty for students selected under various Maharashtra govt overseas scholarship schemes run by social justice, tribal development, minority development, other backward bahujan welfare departments and the Directorate of Technical Education (DTE). With universities abroad already issuing admission offers for the upcoming academic session, students fear they could lose their seats if visa applications are delayed or rejected.Another concern flagged by scholarship beneficiaries is the gap between the state’s maintenance allowance and the UK’s financial requirement. While Maharashtra currently provides an annual maintenance grant of around £9,900 for students pursuing higher education in the UK, immigration rules of UK require applicants studying in London to demonstrate access to £1,529 per month for living expenses, amounting to £13,761 for a nine-month course. Students have also sought revision of maintenance grants for the US and Australia to reflect rising living costs.To resolve the issue, students have proposed that Maharashtra govt coordinate with the Union ministry of external affairs or the ministry of education so that scholarship funding is backed through the central govt, making it compliant with UKVI rules. They have also sought a single-window system ensuring scholarship verification, sanction and fund release are completed by May or June every year to avoid last-minute visa delays before university deadlines.The concerns and recommendations have been formally submitted to Maharashtra govt by The Platform, a Nagpur-based socio-legal organisation, through representations to the chief minister’s office and the departments administering overseas scholarship schemes.“This is purely a technical and administrative gridlock that govt of Maharashtra must resolve with utmost immediacy. Failure to execute a timely decision will not only affect the academic futures of Maharashtra’s brightest scholars, but it will also severely dent international reputation and image of the state govt itself. The state executive must recognise the gravity of this crisis and deploy a legal workaround without delay,” said Rajiv Khobragade, member, The Platform.
