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<keyword id="19896882" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Canada" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Canada" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Canada">Canada</keyword> is set to make notable changes to its immigration policies, aiming to manage the influx of <keyword id="20073340" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="international-students" source="keywords">international students</keyword> by cutting down on the number of <keyword id="20293675" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="study-permits" source="keywords">study permits</keyword> issued. This move comes as part of the government’s broader strategy to control its <keyword id="23227485" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="temporary-resident-population" source="keywords">temporary resident population</keyword> and maintain the integrity of its immigration system. Prime Minister <keyword id="19898713" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Justin-Trudeau" source="keywords">Justin Trudeau</keyword> recently announced that the country will reduce the number of study permits granted to foreign nationals, citing concerns over the misuse of the immigration system. The reduction is already underway, with Canada issuing 35 percent fewer study permits this year compared to previous years. Moving forward, the Canadian government plans to decrease these permits by an additional 10 percent in 2025, lowering the number of new permits issued from 4,85,000 in 2024 to 4,37,000 in the following year. Trudeau talked about the need to address those exploiting the system in a post on X (earlier called Twitter). "Immigration is an advantage for our economy - but when bad actors abuse the system and take advantage of students, we crack down," he said. While immigration continues to play a critical role in strengthening Canada's economy, Trudeau added that these measures are essential to preserving the system's integrity. Canada's Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship department echoed this sentiment in an official news release, confirming the government's commitment to managing temporary resident arrivals. The department outlined a plan to stabilise the intake of study permits at the reduced figure for 2026, ensuring that the numbers remain consistent with 2025. To address the importance of advanced degree holders, the government will set aside approximately 12 percent of available study permits for master's and doctoral candidates. These students will need to provide a letter from their respective province or territory, recognising the significant contributions they can make to the Canadian workforce. <keyword id="19946179" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="marc-miller" source="keywords">Marc Miller</keyword>, Canada’s Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship, said that the changes are part of a larger effort to ensure a well-regulated and sustainable immigration system. “Not everyone who wishes to come to Canada will be granted entry, and not everyone currently residing here will be able to remain indefinitely. It is our duty to safeguard the integrity of our immigration policies, and we are committed to adapting them to meet today’s evolving challenges,” he said. The reduction in study permits is expected to have a considerable impact on international students, particularly from India. India has long been the leading source of foreign students in Canada, with an estimated 427,000 <keyword id="19971660" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-students" source="keywords">Indian students</keyword> currently studying in the country, according to data from the High Commission of India in Ottawa. Education is one of the key pillars of collaboration between the two nations, and the new policy could affect thousands of Indian nationals aspiring to pursue higher studies in Canada. (With ANI and PTI inputs)

Canada to cut study permits for International students by 35%, Indian students to be impacted

If you're looking for some inspiration on how to spend the upcoming holiday season, it's time to take cues from fellow Indians. A recent study by American Express has highlighted that a staggering 97% of Indians have their travel plans set for the forthcoming festive season, and more than 30% have already made their bookings. What's more, around 93% won't shy away from spending a few extra bucks if it means making their trip more comfortable and fun. A recent <keyword id="23687478" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Skyscanner-report" source="keywords">Skyscanner report</keyword> titled Travel Trends 2025 also underlined this growing preference for <keyword id="23687479" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="comfortable-travel" source="keywords">comfortable travel</keyword> among Indians. Per the report, 57% of Indians were okay spending a little extra to get a good quality in-flight meal. For 47%, good seats and hence, seat selection was a priority, and 42% of surveyed Indians preferred comfort right from the trip's start-valuing access to airport lounges. Per the <keyword id="23687477" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="American-Express-study" source="keywords">American Express study</keyword>, while most people (63%) just want to let their hair down and relax, 54% want to don their explorer hats and see new places. About 27% just want to get away from the chaos of their daily lives and spend time with their near and dear ones. Most of us (around 88%) just have Bharat Darshan on our itinerary, while 61% felt like the world was calling us, which is why they plan to travel internationally. Irrespective of destinations, a staggering 91% of Indian travelers believe holidays can help build resilience and strength, so they’re better able to handle the stresses of everyday life. But even amidst all this traveling, Indians do not forget to be budget-conscious, which explains why 73% of Indians won't shy away from generously using their <keyword id="23687480" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="credit-card-points" source="keywords">credit card points</keyword>, <keyword id="23687481" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="airline-miles" source="keywords">airline miles</keyword>, or loyalty rewards. Soak in the festivities and experience The American Express study, which spanned Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Singapore, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States, apart from India, only reinforced that pretty much everyone across the world is in a mood to travel and relax. Globally, 58% of respondents from these countries had plans to visit their family and friends. For those few who had no travel plans but rather wanted to lounge and laze in their homes, 40% had family or friends visiting them. But quality time with loved ones was not the only thing on the list, with 55% also taking trips outside of visiting family. Also, buying gifts during the season is seemingly passe. Every 1 in 3 respondents chose gifting their loved ones an experience rather than a material gift. Atop this gift list are entertainment-related experiences, preferred by 59% of respondents. Travel-related experiences come next, chosen by 54% of those surveyed, followed by food and drink-related experiences, which were opted for by 49% of respondents. The Skyscanner also highlighted that 66% of Indian travelers plan to travel more in 2025. As to the deciding factors for choosing the next travel destination, food, culture, and weather played a crucial role for 63%, 58%, and 57% of respondents, respectively. Skyscanner's report also highlighted this trend, noting that people were increasingly looking forward to having unique experiences. 53% of Indians surveyed wanted to travel to watch a live game or sporting event in 2025. At 54%, this number was slightly higher amongst the 25-34 age cohort.

Travel, Eat, and Have Fun: How Indians plan to spend their holidays

London: Universities and student groups on Tuesday urgently lobbied British Prime Minister <keyword id="19906889" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rishi-Sunak" source="keywords">Rishi Sunak</keyword> to safeguard the country's <keyword id="21659184" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="post-study-visa" source="keywords">post-study visa</keyword> offer, which has been dominated by Indians to gain work experience for around two years at the end of their university degree. Amid reports that Sunak is considering either restricting or ending the <keyword id="20616105" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Graduate-Route" source="keywords">Graduate Route</keyword> to curtail soaring migration statistics ahead of a general election, a group of nearly 30 university vice-chancellors and the <keyword id="21760521" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="national-indian-students-and-alumni-association" source="keywords">National Indian Students and Alumni Association</keyword> (NISAU) UK have issued detailed letters of appeal to 10 Downing Street. They list a series of factors in favour of keeping the Graduate visa scheme unchanged, including the benefits that international students bring to the UK economy in a competitive global higher education marketplace. "Modelling by consultancy London Economics shows that a single cohort has a net economic benefit of GBP 37 billion to the UK economy; as well as through the soft power that Britain's international graduates generate for the country over time, including through furthering ties of trade and diplomacy," reads the NISAU UK letter addressed to Sunak. "Indeed, 70 per cent of <keyword id="19971660" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-students" source="keywords">Indian students</keyword> have told us that the ability to gain meaningful work experience is a critical element in their decision to choose between competing international destinations, of which the UK is one... the Graduate Route allows the opportunity to gain this work experience for a temporary period. It is non-extendable and does not count towards permanent settlement. This means that neither students nor Graduate visa holders should be considered 'immigrants' in the context of the long-term picture of migration," it notes. Their appeal comes a week after the influential <keyword id="20609895" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Migration-Advisory-Committee" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Migration Advisory Committee" meta.hostid="83" meta.entityid="Migration Advisory Committee">Migration Advisory Committee</keyword> (MAC) advised the government to let the scheme continue as it found no abuse of this post-study work offer. It also confirmed that Indians topped its tally, accounting for 89,200 visas between 2021 and 2023, or 42 per cent of the overall grants, and were likely to be "most affected by any restriction on the Graduate Route". In their letter to Sunak, universities in the north of England — from Sunderland to Sheffield, Leeds to Lancaster, Liverpool to Teesside, Bradford to Huddersfield, and York to Newcastle — said they will all be harmed by the removal or reduction of this visa as it is an "intrinsic part of the educational offer that has made the UK so attractive to brilliant students from all around the world". "The Graduate Visa Route is regarded by students in key markets like India as an integral part of their educational experience. The MAC review made clear that the removal of this route would make the UK less attractive and thus would cause considerable financial detriment to universities around the country," reads their joint letter. "International student tuition fee income has long cross-subsidised underfunded research and has increasingly become critical to cross-subsidise the teaching of UK undergraduate students because of the frozen tuition fee. Universities cannot continue to absorb the costs of teaching UK undergraduates without some form of alternative funding source," they caution. On top of their visa fees, international students who find work and start businesses contribute billions of pounds in income tax, national insurance and VAT annually. The university chiefs point out that they are also usually net contributors to the National Health Service (NHS) through the NHS surcharge. The Russell Group of the UK's leading universities issued its appeal over the weekend, with CEO Tim Bradshaw warning that there has already been a 10 per cent decline in international applications for post-graduate courses starting this September in the wake of the clampdown on students being able to bring dependant family members. "A further restriction on international students would not only be unnecessary — as numbers are already falling — but also damaging, resulting in less spending in local communities, fewer opportunities for domestic students and less UK research," he noted in a letter to Sunak. Members of his own Cabinet are believed to be opposed to any changes to the Graduate scheme, but the British Prime Minister is having to balance pressures from the right of the governing Conservatives who are single-minded in their demands to curb all forms of legal as well as illegal migration levels ahead of an election later this year.

Universities, student groups lobby PM Sunak to keep UK's post-study visa scheme unchanged

<ul class="summary-list"><li>As college tuition fees soar, more American students are going abroad.</li><li>Beyond cheaper tuition, college abroad can offer multiple benefits, including exposure to new cultures.</li></ul>When it was time for Liza Jean Miezejeski to start thinking about college, she couldn't stop worrying about <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/professor-student-loan-debt-suddenly-forgiven-2024-8">student debt</a>."Every time I looked, there were schools that seemed interesting, but none that was worth going into debt for," she told Business Insider.One day, while in the car with her mom, she heard on the radio that Americans were moving to Germany for free education. It sounded like a dream to her: a chance to live abroad and earn an affordable college degree.Miezejeski, then a sophomore at a Connecticut high school, started to look into it seriously. She ended up <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/american-gen-z-college-europe-university-abroad-prague-brussels-affordable-2024-8">attending a university in Prague</a> and then moved to Brussels for graduate school. She graduated from both schools with no debt.Miezejeski is not alone. Like her, more American students are looking abroad to complete their college education.While<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nyu-student-hated-study-abroad-semester-florence-italy-2023-3"> study abroad</a> programs — which allow students to spend a semester or a year overseas — are nothing new, completing a full degree outside the US has been gaining popularity.A representative for the Institute of International Education, a nonprofit exchange organization based in New York, told BI the number of US-based students who went to college abroad has increased in the last year. "Most US colleges and universities anticipate increased or stable student participation in study abroad in the forthcoming 2024/25 academic year," the representative said. They said this includes students in non-exchange programs and those pursuing degrees overseas.James Edge, the owner of Beyond the States, a platform that helps students apply to bachelor's and master's programs abroad, said he's seen a 5 to 10% increase in students pursuing degrees abroad each year since he joined the company three years ago.Greg Kaplan, a private college admissions counselor and the author of "Earning Admission: Real Strategies for Getting Into Highly Selective Colleges," said interest has increased tenfold over the past six years. "Six years ago, if we had one student applying abroad, it was interesting," he said. Now, out of the 350 high school students his company works with yearly, 10 to 20% apply to college abroad, he said.There are several reasons for this, from an interest in specific programs to a desire to explore the world. But above all, experts and students alike have echoed the same sentiment: <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/college-tuition-costs-too-much-make-degrees-matter-less-jobs-2023-9">college in America is too expensive</a>.<h2 id="8e99aa2f-2e09-4281-86df-d39f0ee659f3">The skyrocketing prices of college in the US</h2>According to the<a target="_blank" href="https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/Search?query=college%20tuition&amp;query2=college%20tuition&amp;resultType=all&amp;page=1&amp;sortBy=relevance&amp;overlayDigestTableId=202707"> National Center for Education Statistics</a>, students in the US spent an average of $28,297 a year — or around $113,188 for a four-year program — on tuition and required fees at public out-of-state schools in the academic year of 2022 to 2023.These fees have risen over the years. The <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/paying-for-college/articles/see-20-years-of-tuition-growth-at-national-universities">U.S. News &amp; World Report</a> found that among the 436 colleges in its annual rankings, out-of-state tuition fees at public universities have risen by around 32% over two decades after adjustments for inflation. The same report showed that in-state tuition fees at public universities have grown by 45%.And <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cost-us-universities-wildly-expensive-education-tuition-fees-america-2024-3">private colleges</a> in the US can cost more than twice that much. Tuition this year at <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://seaver.pepperdine.edu/admission/financial-aid/undergraduate/costs/budget-costs.htm">Pepperdine University</a> in Malibu, which is ranked as one of the most expensive schools in the country, is $65,990."That sticker shock is very potent for families," said Robert Harry, an associate director of college counseling at Kent School, a boarding school in Connecticut.Harry estimates that in his 15 years of experience, the number of kids who went abroad for college increased from around 1% of any given high school class to as much as 5 or 10% of a class.<h2 id="da752867-c83d-49cb-9f93-4e420a8dea12">Many have their eyes set on Europe</h2>College in Europe has become an attractive alternative. For one, tuition is generally cheaper. <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://beyondthestates.com/">Beyond the States</a> lists the average tuition fee for European bachelor's programs as $7,390 a year for international students. The average is based on calculations from its database of 12,600 English-taught bachelor's programs in Europe. In some countries, like <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/moved-to-germany-from-us-school-almost-deported-dont-regret-2023-11">Germany, public college education is free</a>, even for international students.Many European university degrees often take three years to complete, so it's also one less year of college tuition to pay for. "You get an extra year of your life back," Edge said.American students often turn to English-speaking destinations like the UK and Ireland for their education abroad. However, college advisors said other European and Asian countries, like the Netherlands and Japan, that offer English-language programs are also gaining popularity.<h2 id="c8d0dc93-f262-4e4f-96d1-cf7969c1161f">The rise in interest comes as US applications become more competitive</h2><div type="image" title="A girl and her brother on a bridge in Toulouse, France" height="900" width="1200" msid="114566917" hostid="261" sizebytes="90356"></div>In 2019, Jacob Zeidberg <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/american-couple-sent-both-kids-college-europe-france-spain-cost-2024-7">applied to almost 30 schools</a> in the US. He was waitlisted or rejected from all of them.A <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.commonapp.org/files/FY_application_trends_end_season_report_23-24.pdf">2024 report from Common App,</a> a college application platform, showed that application volume has grown by 171% since the 2014-15 academic year. The number of applications per applicant has risen by 46% in the same timeframe, now totaling 6.65 applications per person."When the Common App became ubiquitous, it started to get <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/more-competitive-than-ever-get-into-college-admissions-2024-1">really hard to get into American institutions</a> just because it's so much easier to apply to so many more of them," Harry said.It's pushed some parents and students to look elsewhere.For many, Europe is the answer. "Even if you haven't done all the extracurriculars, or if you haven't taken the SATs, it is much easier to get accepted to school in Europe because the way they do admissions is slightly different," Edge, owner of Beyond the States, said.For example, he said they may focus more on the student's academic strengths than on standardized tests.Zeidberg eventually applied to Toulouse Business School in France. He said the application process was smooth and efficient, and he was accepted two weeks later."It was like night and day," his mom, Jennifer Zeidberg, told BI.<h2 id="ea928511-b08c-486a-a718-951d6f05e28a">The benefits of college abroad go beyond cost</h2>In many US colleges, students declare a major after their freshman year. Many colleges outside the US are more specialized.That system appeals to many people who are sure of their interests. "If you are definitely a math person, knowing that you can do three or four years of math and never have to write another English essay — it's intriguing for people," Harry said.Scarlett Kiaras-Attari, who grew up in Kentucky and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/american-student-romanticized-uk-edinburgh-scotland-oxford-college-university-london-2024-8">moved to Scotland in 2018</a> for undergrad, was one of them. "I was so interested in medieval history and Classics," she told BI. "I just knew that there was no other place that I had applied to that was really going to capture that the way that I thought Edinburgh could."<div type="image" title="A girl poses in front of Oxford University" height="2268" width="3024" msid="114566921" hostid="261" sizebytes="556072"></div>Some students also seek niche fields that can only be found abroad. Kaplan, for example, had a student who turned down programs in the US because he wanted more exposure to Formula 1 racing, which is primarily rooted in Europe. He ended up studying motorsports engineering at Oxford.For many, being able to travel easily is also a huge plus."You can just pop on a train and go right next door to Portugal or France, for example. There's just so much more opportunities for cultural engagement," said Edge.<h2 id="47862e7c-8637-4709-bca9-9464a643493b">Important considerations</h2>Although tuition fees are usually lower, college advisors said that students going abroad have to consider other costs, such as visas, daily expenditures, rent, and flights back home.They should also consider the emotional impact of moving abroad.<div type="image" title="A girl posing in front of a castle in Germany" height="903" width="1204" msid="114566918" hostid="261" sizebytes="234730"></div>Amanda Mrozek, who withdrew from Central Michigan University in her third year and moved to Germany to get her degree in 2021, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/american-moving-germany-college-university-things-to-know-2024-7">struggled with cultural differences</a>.For example, her college in Germany lacked school spirit and a sports culture, she said. Most students also lived off-campus and went straight home after class instead of hanging out on campus."It's just not fun," she previously told BI. "I understand people will say, 'You're supposed to be learning.' But at least for me, I can learn better when I'm enjoying something about it."Harry often tells <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guide-moving-abroad-for-college-according-to-university-advisors-diploma-2024-9">students</a> they won't have a typical American college experience abroad and that they will often be in the minority of kids who go abroad."Recognize that your experience is going to be a bit different, but it doesn't mean it's any less rich or rewarding," he said.<div type="image" title="Girl sits by the window with her book in Italy" height="1886" width="2515" msid="114566920" hostid="261" sizebytes="312546"></div>In the years since graduating from high school, Miezejeski only knows of three other high school classmates who left the US: one went to Canada, and two others went to the Netherlands and Italy to study. But most of them stayed in Connecticut or studied in nearby cities like Boston and New York. Where she's from, it's not common to go abroad, but it's a slow trend, she said.Since completing her degree in 2021, she hasn't looked back.She decided to stay in Europe and pursue a master's degree in Brussels. Her master's program was one year long and cost around $4,700 — almost a fifth of what she would have paid if she had pursued a master's at the University of Connecticut, a college in her state, based on the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://bursar.uconn.edu/tuition-fees/graduate/2024-2025/">university's website</a>.More importantly, Miezejeski gained experiences money can't buy."I have friends now all over the world," she said. "I've learned about all their cultures, how they do things and their languages. I've met incredible people and learned so much. The learning does not stop."

College in the US was too expensive, so these students opted for Europe

<keyword id="22362521" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="tourists-travellers" source="keywords">Tourists Travellers</keyword> from India have taken to <keyword id="20166206" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="international-travel" source="keywords">international travel</keyword> with newfound enthusiasm over the past two years, a new report by ride-hailing platform <keyword id="19895382" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Uber" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Uber" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Uber">Uber</keyword> revealed on Wednesday. Indians travelled close to 1,000 cities across 68 countries significantly broadening their horizons, the report revealed. Their top destinations, however, remained consistent in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada. As per the report the <keyword id="22362520" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="summer-holiday-period" source="keywords">summer holiday period</keyword> when schools and colleges break, emerged as the prime time for these adventures for Indians. Interestingly, it said May 2023 outpaced June 2022 as the most popular month for <keyword id="21753645" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="overseas-travel" source="keywords">overseas travel</keyword>, indicating a shift in vacation timing. While abroad, Indians traveled longer distances, averaging 25 per cent more distance than their trips back home. Their Uber journeys spanned 21 different products, from premium electric vehicles like Comfort Electric to multimodal transit options that integrate trains and other mass transit modes, along with the ubiquitous UberX. The report underscores a significant uptick in the number of Indians using Uber internationally, with 2023 seeing Indian travellers ranking second only to Americans in terms of app usage abroad. During the ongoing summer travel season, Indians are expected to cross records set in the previous years, the report predicted. Moreover, many countries frequented by Indians support peer-to-peer ridesharing, allowing individuals to use their personal vehicles for Uber rides. This not only highlights the global appeal of the <keyword id="19913761" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="gig-economy" source="keywords">gig economy</keyword> but also showcases the country's adaptability and enthusiasm for diverse transportation options, the report noted. Commenting on the trend, Prabhjeet Singh, President, Uber India and <keyword id="19897710" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="south-asia" source="keywords">South Asia</keyword>, said, "Indians have been breaking all travel records over the past couple of years, and it's heartwarming to see how Uber continues to be their trusted last-mile partner in these travels. Be it the familiarity when landing at an airport in a new city or the safety when riding late at night, it's a huge mark of trust for us to see Indians book an Uber for their overseas travels."

Indians are travelling abroad like never before: Uber study

In a major step toward protecting students and their families, the Indian government has issued new guidelines aimed at curbing misleading advertisements by coaching centres. The Centre's crackdown addresses exaggerated claims like “100% selection” or “guaranteed job security” — promises that often lead to disappointment among students who invest time and money expecting a near-certain outcome. <h2>Protecting consumers, not shutting down coaching</h2>On Wednesday, the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) rolled out these guidelines in response to numerous complaints from the National Consumer Helpline. According to <keyword id="20003684" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="consumer-affairs" source="keywords">Consumer Affairs</keyword> Secretary Nidhi Khare, the government’s goal is not to shut down coaching centres but to ensure their ads don’t “undermine consumer rights.” “We have seen coaching centres deliberately concealing information from prospective students,” Khare said. “Therefore, we have come out with the guidelines to provide guidance to people involved in the coaching industry.” So far, the CCPA has issued 54 notices to violators and imposed penalties of around Rs 54.60 lakh. <h2>What’s prohibited?</h2>The guidelines lay out strict boundaries on what coaching centres can — and cannot — say in their ads. Here’s what the guidelines address: <ul><li>False Claims: Ads should not make unsubstantiated promises about “100% selection” or “100% job security.”</li><li>Course Details: No exaggerating or omitting information about courses, their duration, or outcomes.</li><li>Faculty Credentials: Qualifications of teachers must be presented accurately, with no fake credentials.</li><li>Fees and Refunds: All fees and refund policies must be transparent.</li><li>Selection Rates and Ranks: Coaching centres cannot claim high selection rates or exam rankings without proof.</li></ul>Additionally, they are not allowed to use successful candidates’ names, photos, or testimonials in ads without written consent from these individuals. Khare advised students to double-check the information provided by coaching centres. “Many UPSC students clear prelims and mains on their own and take only interview guidance from coaching centres,” she explained, encouraging students to verify the course details actually taken by successful candidates. The guidelines go beyond the broad term “coaching.” They define coaching as academic support, education, guidance, study programs, and tuition — but they exclude counselling, sports, and creative activities. The purpose of this definition is to keep the focus on academic and career-oriented programs, which are most prone to misleading ads. <h2>Full disclosure and consequences for violators</h2>Transparency is now mandatory, as coaching centres must display disclaimers and reveal essential course details. Facilities, infrastructure, and resources must be represented accurately, along with any required approvals or recognitions from authorities like AICTE or UGC. Khare, who also serves as the CCPA chief, stressed that coaching centres should accurately present the service, resources, and infrastructure provided. For instance, if they advertise “fully-equipped classrooms,” the guidelines require this to be an honest description. These guidelines come as a supplement to existing laws and are enforceable under the Consumer Protection Act. This means violators will face penalties, potentially similar to the Rs 54.60 lakh already imposed by the CCPA. The government hopes these new standards will push coaching centres to keep their ads honest, helping students and families make better-informed decisions. (With inputs from agencies)

No More False Promises: Government sets rules to prevent misleading and exaggerated coaching centre ads

A bartender at a high-end restaurant in south Brooklyn, Alessia Gonzalez doesn't feel free to speak her mind at work, at least on political issues. The neighborhood, Bay Ridge, is a Republican stronghold, and customers are often decked out in <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-madison-square-garden-rally-overshadow-economy-puerto-rico-2024-10">MAGA</a> hats.Gonzalez, 27, says that if she were to discuss her political views, particularly her belief that Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/israel-says-killed-hamas-chief-yahya-sinwar-oct-7-mastermind-2024-10">Gaza</a>, she'd be judged by coworkers and customers or face even worse consequences. "I feel like I could be fired," she says.When politics comes up at work, Gonzalez stays mum. "I feel the need to sort of put on a mask and not necessarily agree with them or show them any kind of support, but at the same time not express my own opinion so that I don't make anyone uncomfortable or make anyone look at me differently," she says.Fernando, a 30-year-old from Colombia who works in advertising in New York, is far more <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/american-republicans-in-israel-mobilizing-expat-vote-for-trump-2024-10">supportive of Israel</a>, and he too withholds his views of the conflict around his coworkers. He worries that one colleague, who is outspoken in her opposition to Israel's treatment of Palestinians, would have more questions than he's willing or prepared to answer. "I don't say anything about it, because my thoughts are sometimes very opposite," says Fernando, who asked for partial anonymity to protect his relationships.Withholding one's real views, or what public-opinion researchers call "self-silencing," appears to be widespread in the US. As part of a <a target="_blank" href="https://populace.org/research">new study</a>, the think tank Populace and the research firm YouGov conducted a survey in the US in which 58% of respondents said they thought most people don't feel comfortable expressing their honest opinions about sensitive issues and 61% said that in the past year they themselves had "avoided saying things that they believe because others might find them offensive." The study, "Social Pressure Index: Private Opinion in America," of more than 19,000 respondents found evidence that a majority of all demographic groups — age, gender, race, income, and political party — had self-silenced in the past year."Social norms have made it costly to express views that one considers to be controversial, and therefore people withhold those views," says James Gibson, a professor of government at Washington University in St. Louis who's studied public opinion for more than 40 years and was not involved in Populace's study.Not everyone agrees that all private views, regardless of how objectionable they are, should be voiced in the public square or even at home. The old saying "no politics at the dinner table" seems to have existed since there have been politics to talk about at dinner tables. Pushing certain views that violate basic social norms out of the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/discourse">discourse</a> can be a powerful form of accountability and a way to shape public debate for the better. But critics of self-censorship argue that when too many people aren't saying what they actually think, it inhibits the vigorous public debate necessary for a healthy society. "If people are self-censoring, deliberation is compromised and that's very, very damaging, in my view, to democracy," Gibson says. The study found that the more people self-silence, the less they trust other people.In the final sprint of another bilious and barbed US presidential election season, where the final polls show Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump in a deadlock, it's clear the country is deeply divided. Public-opinion experts say polarization perpetuates self-censorship by creating an environment where the perceived costs of dissent are higher. "Your brain assumes the loudest voices repeated the most are the majority," said Todd Rose, the CEO of Populace and a former professor at Harvard's Graduate School of Education. People fear repercussions for expressing opinions that differ from what they perceive to be the majority viewpoint. In turn, dishonest public debate makes us believe that we're more divided than we really are."Self-silencing can lead to a lot more than just saying nothing," Rose said. "It can end up leading to this place where public consensus looks very different than private consensus."But the more we know about what we actually believe, the likelier we may be to meet in the middle.America seems to be suffering from what the German political scientist Elisabeth Noelle-Neumann coined in the 1970s as a "<a target="_blank" href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228049403_The_Spiral_of_Silence_A_Theory_of_Public_Opinion">spiral of silence</a>." Noelle-Neumann argued that people are reluctant to share their opinions on controversial topics when they subconsciously perceive that the majority disagrees with them. As a result, majority views come to be seen as dominant over time, shrinking room for conversation and compromise.In reality, we very well might agree on a lot more than we admit to today. To try to measure people's private views, the Populace researchers used what's called the list-experiment method. This involved dividing respondents into two groups. One was presented a series of lists each containing three statements (e.g., "Class size significantly affects student achievement"). The other was presented with a series of identical lists but with a fourth statement added — these extra statements were the ones that the researchers were actually interested in testing (e.g., "I support school choice in public education"). For each list, respondents were asked how many of the statements they agreed with, an indirect line of questioning meant to encourage honest responses. The researchers could then compare the two groups' answers to estimate how many people actually agreed with the statements being tested. Finally, the researchers conducted a separate, "public" survey in which a different set of people were asked directly whether they agreed or disagreed with the statements being tested.Take abortion, as one example. Populace found that Protestant, Roman Catholic, Jewish, and Muslim respondents in the list experiment were all more likely than comparable respondents in the public survey to support the idea that "abortion should be legal in most cases." While just 39% of Protestants in the traditional survey agreed with that statement, Populace estimated that 54% agreed in the private structure. Among Muslims, the difference was 43% agreeing with the statement versus an estimated 66% who privately agreed. Overall, Populace found that 55% of respondents publicly said abortion should be legal in most cases, compared with 63% thought to have privately agreed. (Both figures were far higher than those in polling from <a target="_blank" href="https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2024/05/PP_2024.5.13_abortion_TOPLINE.pdf">Pew</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/321143/americans-stand-abortion.aspx">Gallup</a>, which included question wording with a wider range of possible responses than the agree-disagree format of the Populace study.)Democrats and Republicans were also more privately aligned on the question of defunding the police. While 27% of Democratic respondents publicly agreed with the statement "I support defunding the police," just 3% privately supported the movement. At the same time, just 1% of Republicans privately supported it and 6% publicly supported it.The survey also found that Republicans and wealthier people were more likely to privately feel that society isn't fair than they publicly acknowledged. Rose posited that Democrats tend to be more publicly concerned with unfairness, particularly when it comes to marginalized groups. Republicans define themselves in opposition to that. That dynamic is on display in this election as, for example, former Trump attacks Harris for defending a federal law that permits government-funded gender-affirming healthcare for prisoners and migrants. But privately, they acknowledged that they agree. While 50% of Republicans publicly said "we live in a mostly fair society," just 11% privately agreed.Another thing liberals and conservatives might secretly agree on: that they don't trust the government, at all. Democrats were far more likely to differ in their private and public responses on this: While 36% publicly agreed with the statement "In general, I trust the government to tell me the truth," just 5% were estimated to have privately agreed. Similarly, 2% of Republicans were thought to privately trust the government to tell the truth, while 14% said so publicly. Other surveys have <a target="_blank" href="https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2015/11/23/1-trust-in-government-1958-2015/">similarly found</a> historically low levels of trust in major institutions like the government and the media across the political spectrum.Rose is particularly concerned about low levels of trust — of the government, the media, and other people. A lack of social trust causes people to resent each other, look for scapegoats, and become susceptible to demagoguery, he said. "By almost any measure, social trust is a phenomenal predictor of the health and vibrancy of democracies," Rose says.Not everyone is convinced that American society is suffering from a complete breakdown in societal trust. Gibson argues the long-established survey measure of whether we trust each other — agreement with the statement that "in general, most people can be trusted" — is too vague to be accurate. "You've got to build in some context to let people know what the question is. You can't allow their imagination just to go crazy."Overall, certain groups — including Gen Zers, political independents, and college graduates — were more likely to produce dramatically different results in the public and private surveys, Populace found. Gibson speculated that this might be because these groups tend to be more aware of social norms, and sensitive to the costs of violating them.Gen Zers, 72% of whom said they had self-silenced in the past year, might be influenced by their heavy use of social media, which "makes it very easy to manufacture false consensus," Rose argues. They also have a particularly keen awareness of being harassed or canceled for voicing unpopular opinions. For wealthier and more-educated people, the costs of offending customers, an audience, a fellow country-club member, or a business partner might be higher. "In a society where reputation matters a lot, in an attention economy, there's actually a lot more incentive to hold views that are consistent with what you think people want to hear," Rose says. The risks of social ostracism might not be as acute for lower-income people and those with less education, as they're often already socially and economically excluded. And ironically, the Silent Generation (born from 1928 to 1945) reported self-silencing the least.Engaging in public debate or even just a dinner-table discussion can be contentious and uncomfortable. But Rose and Gibson argue that the only way to build a less polarized and self-censoring society is through hard conversations."As we start to find the moral courage to be honest with each other, respectfully," Rose says, "I think you're going to see the revealing of a common ground that we can start to anchor in and start to try to solve some of the real problems we face as a country."That revelation, however, will have to wait until after Election Day.<a target="_blank" rel="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/eliza-relman">Eliza Relman</a> is a policy correspondent focused on housing, transportation, and infrastructure on Insider's economy team.

A new study shows that Americans secretly agree on more than they admit

US presidential candidate <keyword id="19918985" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Donald-Trump" source="keywords">Donald Trump</keyword> has gone from suggesting that immigrants were poisoning the blood of the country to saying that he would welcome immigrants from “nice” countries like Denmark, Switzerland and Norway to his most recent plans of automatically granting green cards to <keyword id="22128571" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="foreign-graduates" source="keywords">foreign graduates</keyword> of US colleges in a rather short duration of time. Feeling a little whiplashed, anyone? Securing a green card in the US is a Herculean task whose difficulty is probably comparable to capturing and bringing back Cerberus. And this legal permanent residence, which can sometimes take decades, is only the first step to becoming a US citizen. Many Indians have tried, whether it’s through residing and working for decades, navigating rather lengthy paperwork or marrying someone who is already a US citizen. Sadly, many have failed too. However, should Donald Trump become the President of the United States again (and decide to keep his word), Indian students might actually have an easier time getting a green card. In a surprising shift from his previous stance on immigration, former President Donald Trump has unveiled a bold plan to automatically grant green cards to foreign graduates of US colleges if re-elected. This announcement, made during a podcast interview with Silicon Valley investors, marks a departure from Trump's traditionally tough rhetoric on immigration. During the podcast hosted by Chamath Palihapitiya and others, Trump expressed his commitment to retaining talent educated in American universities. He argued passionately for granting green cards as a standard benefit for graduates, regardless of the institution they attended. Trump emphasised that this policy should encompass graduates from renowned institutions like Harvard and MIT as well as from junior colleges across the country. “It’s so sad when we lose people from Harvard, MIT, the greatest schools, and lesser schools that are phenomenal schools also,” Trump lamented on the All-In Podcast. “I think you should get, automatically, as part of your diploma, a green card to be able to stay in this country and that includes junior colleges, too.” A green card affords its holder permanent residency rights in the United States and represents a crucial step towards citizenship. Trump's proposal, if enacted, could potentially introduce hundreds of thousands of new applicants for citizenship annually. Adding to the exodus of Indians who have already migrated to the US, over 200,000 Indian nationals are enrolled in institutes across the US in 2024, setting a new record. In fact, the significant surge in Indian students seeking education in the country between 2022-23 represented an unprecedented 35% increase from the year before that. The former US president specifically mentioned India and China, highlighting how talented individuals were unable to stay in the US because of current <keyword id="22151110" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="visa-policies" source="keywords">visa policies</keyword>. We can see how this may show him in a favourable light for green card aspirants. And while we’re not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, it is important to remember that Trump has made his discriminatory nature very public in several instances. Immigration has been a hot topic in the US political arena for decades. However, in recent years, the political right and others have been more divided than ever on this issue. Republicans have been calling for stringent immigration policies and strict border protections. Therefore, even if Trump does deliver what he promises, the packaging will most likely have fine print that might continue to make it difficult for students to attain green cards. In fact, the presidential candidate’s campaign press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, has already clarified that Trump's proposal would only apply to thoroughly vetted college graduates who can “make significant contributions” to America and would not undercut American wages or workers. She emphasised that Trump has outlined the most aggressive vetting process in US history to exclude "all communists, radical Islamists, Hamas supporters, America haters and public charges." Anyhow, Trump’s proposal starkly contrasts with Trump's previous hardline stance on immigration, which had been a cornerstone of his political platform. During his presidency, Trump advocated for stringent immigration policies, including the largest deportation campaign in US history, aimed at undocumented migrants, and building a wall on the southern borders of the country. Trump intensified restrictions on legal immigration amid the pandemic and his final year in office. He proposed halting all immigration to the US and deporting foreign students who didn't attend some in-person classes. A month before the 2020 election, Trump once more moved to tighten regulations on the <keyword id="20773661" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="H-1B-visa" source="keywords">H-1B visa</keyword> program. He has also criticised the H-1B visa program, which tech companies favour for hiring foreign skilled workers, as detrimental to American prosperity. The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa allowing US firms to employ foreigners in specialised occupations requiring theoretical or technical expertise. At a recent campaign event in Wisconsin, Trump criticised Biden's immigration policies, particularly lambasting a new program allowing undocumented spouses of US citizens to apply for permanent residence without leaving the country. Trump characterised immigration under Biden as an "invasion" and argued against discussing amnesty, urging instead for measures to halt what he perceives as an influx of unauthorised migrants. Estimates from the Department of Homeland Security suggest that approximately 11 million migrants currently reside in the US without authorization, a statistic that has been central to Trump's arguments against leniency in immigration policy.

Donald Trump strikes again: Ex-President proposes automatic green cards for foreign graduates of US colleges

Anyone following the rhetoric around <keyword id="107950" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Artificial-Intelligence" source="Orion">artificial intelligence</keyword> in recent years has heard one version or another of the cl<keyword id="6355999" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="AI" source="Orion">ai</keyword>m that AI is inevitable. Common themes are that AI is already here and indispensable, and people who are bearish on it harm themselves. In the business world, AI advocates tell companies and workers that they will fall behind if they fail to integrate generative AI into their operations. In the sciences, AI advocates promise that AI will aid in curing hitherto intractable diseases. In higher education, AI promoters admonish teachers that students must learn how to use AI or risk becoming uncompetitive when it comes time to find a job. In national security, AI's champions say that either the nation invests heavily in AI weaponry, or it will be at a disadvantage against the Chinese and Russians, who are already doing so. The argument across these different domains is essentially the same: The time for AI skepticism has come and gone. The <keyword id="6355118" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="technology" source="Orion">technology</keyword> will shape the future, whether you like it or not. You have the choice to learn how to use it or be left out of that future. Anyone trying to stand in the technology's way is as hopeless as the manual weavers who resisted the mechanical looms in the early 19th century. In the past few years, my colleagues and I (Nir Eisikovits, Professor of Philosophy and Director, Applied Ethics Center, UMass Boston) have been studying the ethical questions raised by the widespread adoption of AI, and I believe the inevitability argument is misleading. <h2>History and hindsight</h2> This claim is the most recent version of a deterministic view of technological development. It's the belief that innovations are unstoppable once people start working on them. In other words, some genies don't go back in their bottles. The best you can do is harness them for your good purposes. This deterministic approach to tech has a long history. It's been applied to the influence of the printing press as well as to the rise of automobiles and the infrastructure they require, among other developments. But I believe that when it comes to AI, the technological determinism argument is both exaggerated and oversimplified. <h2>AI in the field(s)</h2> Consider the contention that businesses can't afford to stay out of the AI game. The case has yet to be made that AI is delivering significant productivity gains to the firms that use it. A report in The <keyword id="20856675" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="economist" source="keywords">Economist</keyword> in July 2024 suggests that so far, the technology has had almost no economic impact. AI's role in higher education is also still very much an open question. Though universities have, in the past two years, invested heavily in AI-related initiatives, evidence suggests they may have jumped the gun. The technology can serve as an interesting pedagogical tool. For example, creating a Plato chatbot that lets students have a text conversation with a bot posing as Plato is a cool gimmick. However, AI is already starting to displace some of the best tools teachers have for assessment and for developing critical thinking, such as writing assignments. The college essay is going the way of the dinosaurs as more teachers give up on the ability to tell whether their students are writing their papers themselves. What's the cost-benefit argument for giving up on writing, an important and useful traditional skill? In the sciences and medicine, the use of AI seems promising. Its role in understanding the structure of proteins, for example, will likely be significant for curing diseases. The technology is also transforming medical imaging and has been helpful in accelerating the drug discovery process. But the excitement can become exaggerated. AI-based predictions about which cases of COVID-19 would become severe have roundly failed, and doctors rely excessively on the technology's diagnostic ability, often against their own better clinical judgment. And so, even in this area, where the potential is great, AI's ultimate impact is unclear. In national security, the argument for investing in AI development is compelling. Since the stakes can be high, the argument that if the Chinese and the Russians are developing AI-driven autonomous weapons, the United States can't afford to fall behind has real purchase. But a complete surrender to this form of reasoning, though tempting, is likely to lead the <keyword id="19899807" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="u-s-" source="keywords">U.S.</keyword> to overlook the disproportionate impact of these systems on nations that are too poor to participate in the AI arms race. The major powers could deploy the technology in conflicts in these nations. And, just as significantly, this argument de-emphasizes the possibility of collaborating with adversaries on limiting military AI systems, favoring arms race over arms control.<h2> One step at a time</h2> Surveying the potential significance and risks of AI in these different domains merits some skepticism about the technology. I believe that AI should be adopted piecemeal and with a nuanced approach rather than subject to sweeping claims of inevitability. In developing this careful take, there are two things to keep in mind: -First, companies and entrepreneurs working on artificial intelligence have an obvious interest in the technology being perceived as inevitable and necessary, since they make a living from its adoption. It's important to pay attention to who is making claims of inevitability, and why. -Second, it's worth taking a lesson from recent history. Over the past 15 years, smartphones and the social media apps that run on them have come to be seen as a fact of life - a technology as transformative as it is inevitable. Then data started emerging about the <keyword id="6354774" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mental-health" source="Orion">mental health</keyword> harms they cause teens, especially young girls. School districts across the United States started to ban phones to protect the attention spans and mental health of their students. And some people have reverted to using flip phones as a quality of life change to avoid smartphones. After a long experiment with the mental health of kids, facilitated by claims of technological determinism, Americans changed course. What seemed fixed turned out to be alterable. There is still time to avoid repeating the same mistake with artificial intelligence, which potentially could have larger consequences for society.

Is AI dominance inevitable? A technology ethicist says no, actually

As the world grapples with the aftermath of the COVID-19 <keyword id="19913581" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="pandemic" source="keywords">pandemic</keyword>, a recent study has illuminated the educational harm suffered by young <keyword id="19929042" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="students" source="keywords">students</keyword> affected by lockdowns. These effects, expected to resonate well into the <keyword id="21440663" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="2030s" source="keywords">2030s</keyword>, have left a lasting impact on pupils, warned the research. Beyond academics, schooling significantly influences students' critical thinking, problem-solving, and emotional development. Thus, any disruption to the education process, particularly at a young age, can severely impede students' overall growth. The study explored the consequences of pandemic-induced school closures on children's socio-emotional and cognitive abilities at ages 5, 11, and 14. Researchers projected that by 2030, fewer than 40% of pupils would achieve a passing grade (grade 5 out of 9) or higher in their English and mathematics GCSEs, compared to 45.3% in 2022-23. For reference, the GCSEs in the UK are akin to the Indian 10th and 12th board examinations. However, researchers especially highlighted the lockdowns' impact on crucial areas like socio-emotional support and well-being, underscoring their significance alongside cognitive skills for <keyword id="21440666" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="gcse" source="keywords">GCSE</keyword> results. For example, 20% of top performers in cognitive tests at age 14, with average <keyword id="21440665" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="socio-emotional-skills" source="keywords">socio-emotional skills</keyword>, fail to attain five good GCSEs. Additionally, there's a noticeable gender disparity in skill importance, with good cognitive skills playing a larger role for boys and socio-emotional skills being paramount for girls in determining GCSE outcomes. This nuanced insight underscores the complexity of educational achievement. The research not only diagnoses the problem but also suggests pragmatic solutions. Proposals include establishing a national programme of trained undergraduate student tutors to help students enhance their foundational skills and reimagining the school calendar to support teacher well-being and families during breaks. Emily Tanner, an education expert, emphasised the importance of students developing socio-emotional skills alongside academic learning, noting that the report's insights on timing and gender offer a useful basis for targeting effective interventions. The findings of this research can be accessed <a href="https://news.exeter.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Nuffield-Report-April-2024.pdf" data-type="tilCustomLink">here</a>.

COVID lockdown-related school disruptions will continue to worsen students’ exam results into the 2030s: study

Have you ever considered that your regular commute to and fro work could potentially shave off some years from your life? And no, we’re not talking about road traffic accidents but the slow poison we’re inhaling unbeknownst to us: air pollutants. A new study published in <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/article/PIIS2542-5196(24)00114-1/fulltext">The Lancet Planetary Health</a> by an international team of researchers reveals a terrifying truth: over 7% of daily deaths in 10 major <keyword id="20026638" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-cities" source="keywords">Indian cities</keyword> are attributed to <keyword id="19900550" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="air-pollution" source="keywords">air pollution</keyword> caused by <keyword id="22110704" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="PM2-5-pollutants" source="keywords">PM2.5 pollutants</keyword> exceeding the World Health Organization's (WHO) safe limits. These PM2.5 pollutants are microscopic particles, 2.5 micrometres or less in diameter, that come from <keyword id="2839914" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vehicle-emissions" source="Orion">vehicle emissions</keyword> and industrial activities. Imagine tiny daggers — that's what these PM2.5 particles are like, infiltrating deep into lungs and even the bloodstream, wreaking havoc on our health. The study found that PM2.5 levels breach WHO guidelines a staggering 99.8% of the time in these cities. The analysis covered major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Pune, Shimla and Varanasi. A staggering 7.2% of deaths in these cities, translating to roughly 33,000 annually, were associated with short-term PM2.5 levels exceeding the WHO's recommended limit (15 micrograms per cubic metre) between 2008 and 2019. Delhi, unfortunately, takes the crown for the most polluted. A shocking 11.5% of its annual deaths are attributed to air pollution, translating to a devastating 12,000 lives lost each year. The link between PM2.5 and mortality is undeniable. Researchers found that a mere 10 microgram per cubic metre increase in these pollutants correlates with a 1.4% rise in daily deaths. This risk factor doubles when considering only levels below India's air quality standards, which are, worryingly, less strict than the WHO's recommendations. But here's a surprising twist: the association between PM2.5 and death is even stronger in cities with generally cleaner air, like Bengaluru and Chennai. This suggests that locally produced pollutants, from sources like construction dust or waste burning, might be significant contributors. There is a glimmer of hope, however. The study emphasises that implementing stricter air quality standards and utilising proven pollution control methods from other parts of the world can be game changers. Lowering and enforcing stricter air quality limits will save tens of thousands of lives per year, emphasises Joel Schwartz, a co-author from Harvard University. This study serves as a stark wake-up call. The air we breathe in many Indian cities is a gamble, with every breath potentially harmful. Taking decisive action to curb pollution is not just about a cleaner environment, it's about saving the lives of millions of Indians.

You Searched For "indian students studying in the US" and got 11 results

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