Canada’s steep rise in study permit rejections for Indian applicants marks a turning point in what was once a dependable educational partnership. With nearly three out of every four Indian applications now being refused, the numbers alone tell a story of growing caution in Ottawa’s immigration policy. The stated reason is fraud prevention. Canadian authorities uncovered widespread misuse of falsified admission letters, many originating from India, and have since strengthened verification processes and financial scrutiny. On the face of it, the government’s position is defensible.

No country can afford to compromise the integrity of its education or immigration systems. But the magnitude of the rejection spike, and the resulting drop in Indian enrolments, points to deeper unease within Canada about the reliability of its overseas student intake. For decades, Indian students have been the largest foreign cohort on Canadian campuses, bringing academic........

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