New Delhi : Around 4,000 Indian students appeared for interview on Wednesday to secure the American visa to pursue higher education in the United States.

The interview was conducted at the US embassy here and the Consulates in Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Mumbai.

The US Mission in India organises Student Visa Day every year to celebrate educational ties with India.

In 2017, more than 186,000 Indian students were enrolled in the US institutions of higher education, double the number from a decade ago and a 12 per cent increase from the year before, the embassy told media persons here.

“India is the second leading place of origin for students coming to the United States, with Indians comprising over 17 per cent of the total international students in the country,” Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) MaryKay Carlson said.

“Today (Wednesday) marks US Mission India’s fourth annual Student Visa Day, an event that celebrates higher education ties between India and the US,” Carlson said.

She said the day is also dedicated to helping qualified Indian students prepare for their education in the United States.

—IANS