New Delhi, June 22 -- Stricter visa requirements, immigration crackdowns, a weakening Indian currency, and bleak job prospects - all these factors have prompted many Indian students to reconsider studying abroad, especially in the US and Europe. The question many now ask is: Is it even worth it to burden oneself with hefty student loans, which may take forever to repay?

"The market is clearly showing signs of slowing down. We've already seen enrolments to the UK and US fall by 20 percent over the last two years, and I expect another 10-15 percent decline from those levels going forward," Sushil Sukhwani, founder of Edwise International, which sends thousands of Indian students to universities abroad each year, told the BBC.

Notably, in ...