India is currently home to over 48,000 international students, but it’s aiming for a substantial increase. The country is eyeing the target of hosting half a million international students by 2047, as highlighted by Subrahmanyam, CEO of the National Institution for Transforming India (BVR), during the 18th FICCI Higher Education Summit. He further stressed the importance of integrating artificial intelligence to enhance India’s competitiveness in attracting global students.
In the academic year 2020–21, India welcomed 48,053 international students from 163 countries, according to the All-India Survey on Higher Education. Moreover, Subrahmanyam emphasised the urgent need for creating more student-centric cities in India, achievable through collaborative efforts involving the private sector. Expanding the higher education system in India can accommodate both international and domestic students with concerted efforts from the private sector.
Furthermore, he highlighted the necessity for innovation in the higher education sector, advocating for an update from the educational system to produce graduates equipped with industry-relevant skills. Notably, India was the preferred study destination for students from various countries in 2020–21, predominantly Nepal (28.2%), followed by Afghanistan (8.5%) and Bangladesh (5.7%). The United States, contributing 5.12 percent of students studying in India, along with Sudan and Bhutan, each sending around 3 – 4 percent of students, also added to the diverse international student body. Interestingly, the top ten countries accounted for 67.48 percent of India’s total international student population. According to the annual Open Doors Report by the US Department of State in collaboration with the Institute of International Education (IIE), the academic year 2021–22 saw the US send 336 students to India, marking a modest increase of 16 students from 2020–21 yet a significant drop of 1,736 students from 2019–20.
