Overview

• Kaushik Raj, 27, admitted to Columbia’s data journalism program with a $100,000 scholarship, was denied a U.S. student visa in New Delhi on August 21, with the letter citing failure to show sufficient ties to India.
• He says consular officers required his social-media accounts to be made public after a July 29 interview and that his case shifted into administrative processing before the refusal.
• The U.S. State Department says student and exchange visa adjudications now include comprehensive vetting of applicants’ online presence under updated guidance.
• Reporting cites at least three other Indian students who completed earlier steps but were refused after social-media review, with decisions noting inadequate home-country ties and advising reapplication rather than appeal.
• New data show August 2025 arrivals from India fell about 50%, contributing to a 19% overall year-on-year drop as students increasingly weigh study options in the UK and Canada.