India, June 11 -- A Reddit thread questioning whether American universities are increasingly functioning as immigration pathways rather than purely educational institutions has sparked a debate around H-1B visas, STEM OPT programs and the role of international students in the US economy.

The discussion began after a Reddit user shared the story of a former international student who moved to the US in 2019 for a master's degree and eventually returned home after spending seven years there.

According to the post, the individual completed two master's programs after failing to secure an H-1B visa through the lottery system five times. Despite missing out on the visa, the user claimed the person still managed to save nearly $140,000 during ...