Students Eyeing US Study Advised to Scrub Social Media: Schools & Consultants Warn of Visa Risks

Students across India aiming to study in the United States are now being told to clean up their social media profiles before applying for a visa. Several international schools and education consultants in cities like Kolkata, Delhi, and Mumbai have started giving this advice seriously. With the tightening of US visa scrutiny, especially post-pandemic and

I wanted to write about this topic because many students and parents are still unaware of how digital footprints can affect international study plans. We often focus on grades, test scores, and SOPs when planning to study abroad, but forget that visa officers and university committees might also scan public profiles. In today’s age, what one posts or comments on could reflect on their personality and intentions. This becomes especially critical when dealing with student visas, where authorities look for signs of credibility, intent to return, and overall discipline. It’s important that students understand this soft screening and avoid things online that could harm their chances.

Why Social Media Matters for US Visa Applicants

Social media is no longer just a personal space. It’s a public archive of thoughts, opinions, and behaviour. Since 2020, the US Department of State has included a section in its visa forms asking for applicants’ social media handles. This means visa officers may review posts, comments, likes, and even friends lists to assess the applicant’s background and character.

Consultants are now sharing real-life examples of visa rejections where students had posted content related to illegal substances, political extremism, or even memes that were seen as offensive. While not all profiles are checked, it’s becoming common enough to be a cause for concern.

What Are Schools and Consultants Advising?

Many top schools and education advisors are doing the following:

Organising workshops to make students aware of digital hygiene
Asking them to review all public posts from past years
Recommending they delete controversial, inappropriate, or overly opinionated content
Suggesting they keep their Instagram, Facebook, or X (Twitter) accounts private until after visa approval
Encouraging them to use LinkedIn professionally to showcase achievements

In one Kolkata-based school, the counsellor mentioned that “students were shocked to learn that even memes or dark jokes from years ago could be interpreted negatively.”

What Should Students Keep in Mind?

Here’s a quick checklist students can follow before submitting their visa application:

Remove any posts related to drugs, alcohol, or violence
Avoid political or religiously charged content
Check for negative or hateful comments, even on others’ posts
Delete irrelevant or immature content from younger years
Keep your profile professional or private

Is This Surveillance or Just Precaution?

Some people argue that this is an invasion of privacy. But the reality is that anything posted publicly is fair game for screening. For students, this should be seen as a precaution, not paranoia. Just like wearing formal clothes to a visa interview, maintaining a clean online presence is a part of the process.

Also, universities and embassies are not only assessing academic merit anymore. They’re looking for responsible, socially aware individuals who will respect the norms of the host country.

Education and Employment Can Transform Society: Dinesh Gundu Rao Highlights the Way Forward

During a recent public address in Mangaluru, Karnataka’s Health and Family Welfare Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao stressed that education and employment are two powerful tools that can shape the future of any society. He pointed out that when people are educated and have meaningful jobs, they can rise above social divisions, poverty, and other long-standing issues. His statement came while addressing students and faculty at a function organised at Srinivas University, where he also touched on the importance of knowledge-driven growth.

I felt the need to write about this because it’s rare to hear such a strong political focus on the link between education, employment and overall societal transformation. We often hear about schemes, budgets and infrastructure, but rarely is the bigger picture discussed—how these two sectors can change the life of a common person. This topic matters to all of us, especially the youth, who are navigating a fast-changing job market while also dealing with rising academic pressure. By writing about this, I hope more people start thinking seriously about how education is not just about degrees, and employment is not just about money—it’s about dignity, stability and progress.

Why Education and Employment Matter Together

Education and employment are often treated as separate issues, but in reality, they go hand-in-hand. Education gives people the ability to think, create and contribute. Employment gives them the opportunity to apply what they know, support their families, and be part of the economy. According to Dinesh Gundu Rao, these two pillars must be developed together if we want a fairer and more productive society.

He stressed that:

Lack of access to education pushes people into poverty.
Unemployment leads to frustration, crime, and brain drain.
A society that fails to create job-ready youth will always remain unequal.

This is why investing in schools, colleges, and job-oriented courses is not just a policy decision—it’s a moral responsibility.

Government’s Role in Creating Equal Opportunities

During the event, Rao mentioned that governments should focus not only on building schools and colleges but also on ensuring the quality of education. He said students from rural areas often struggle because they don’t have the same access to English-medium teaching or computer labs as those in urban areas. This kind of inequality reflects in the job market too, where rural youth get fewer chances.

He also pointed out that:

Many graduates remain unemployed or underemployed because they are not industry-ready.
There is a big gap between what is taught in classrooms and what the job market demands.
Career counselling and vocational training should start at the school level.

According to him, if we want to see real change, we need long-term thinking and serious government commitment—not just one-time policies or election promises.

Importance of Social Harmony for Progress

One of the key messages Rao delivered was about unity. He said education should be a tool to unite people and not divide them. The minister raised concern about how communalism and polarisation are slowly taking attention away from important issues like job creation and educational reform.

He added that:

When youth are unemployed, they are more vulnerable to divisive ideologies.
Education can help people develop critical thinking and tolerance.
A strong education and employment ecosystem reduces dependence on populist politics.

He urged young people to stay informed, ask questions, and focus on real-life issues rather than distractions.