Indian higher education institutions have improved their position in global rankings in-part by beefing up research and earning employer respect for the degrees offer. But poor foreign student enrollment continues to hamper a significant boost to their rankings.
According to the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) 2021-22 report, the total number of foreign nationals enrolled in Indian universities or colleges was 46,878 across 170 countries. This was a slight decline from 49,348 in 2019-20, likely due to Covid.
Officials in the Ministry of Education say this climbed to 64,000 in 2023-24, representing a nearly 40% increase. In the past academic year, this went up to some 72,218 international students from over 170 countries, which is another 13% increase. While these figures are impressive, there’s a long way to go, say experts who point out that the lower turnout of foreign nationals studying in India is largely due to lack of quality, flexibility and infrastructure in the country’s educational institutions.
“Attracting international students is quite a different market where the institutions work hard to figure in the ranking among other premier institutions in the world. The ranking is a flawless system as our institutions must be ranked at better positions in various metrics. It plays a vital role among international students as they can get into better ranked institutions at a reasonable cost than opting for lower ranked colleges,” says Dr Vijender Singh Chauhan, a professor at Delhi University.
Prof. Chauhan added that the educational institutions need to focus on elevating their academic quality and providing space employment opportunities to attract more international students. “We have to increase our spending to influence the perception, ensure high quality and job employability at the end of courses. It cannot be achieved in a decade as it is a long journey,” says Dr Vijender Singh Chauhan, a professor at Delhi University.
Ground report
Lack of job prospects for foreign students in India remains a key driver behind the continued lukewarm interest in Indian HEIs. Sayedehfatemeh Mirhosseiniamiri chose to study in India after she was introduced to Vipassana meditation technique back in Iran. She likes India as it is a stable country providing affordable education.
“The education system in Iran and India are different as it is more practical here. But I was expecting more extra curricular activities during the course. People are friendly in India but only superficially. I share bonding with other international students. As a psychology student I understand that Indians culturally restrict themselves from mingling with others,” says Sayedehfatemeh Mirhosseiniamiri, an Iranian and a final year psychology student at St. Philomena’s College in Mysuru.
However, she has not considered India for her post graduation as job employability is not guaranteed in India. “I am yet to decide in which country I want to pursue my masters. I understand that India is overpopulated and available jobs are insufficient for the existing population,” says Mirhosseiniamiri. Undergraduate programs accounted for three-fourth of the foreign students population, postgaduate some 16%.
Daniel Bugula’s friend recommended him to study in India. He is from Congo in Africa studies MBA in Jain university Bengaluru. He says, “The transition to English from French was very difficult in the beginning. I had to learn the language and also the Indian accent to understand my classes. I had a teacher who spoke English with a British accent which I could comprehend easily. I learnt my syllabus by asking more questions with the teachers.”
He narrates that the main difference in the education system between Congo and India is that over 100 students share a single room, where space is cramped, in Congo. “But in India, we are given a small space in the university to manage ourselves,” Bugula says.
“It is tough to receive a work permit in India. It is a cumbersome procedure involving more paperwork. I will go back to my country after finishing my post graduation,” says Bugula.
Current status
According to the AISHE report, the foreign countries with the largest contribution to the Indian student fraternity at the undergraduate level are Nepal with a cumulative figure of 13,126 students, Afghanistan with 3,151, USA with 2,893, Bangladesh with 2,606 and UAE with 2,287.
The AISHE report suggests that there are 13 programmes having an enrolment of more than 1,000 foreign students. Of which, 11,461 foreign students are enrolled in Bachelor of Technology which is followed by Bachelor of Business Administration with a total of 3,346 students and Bachelor of Science with 3,289 students.
The traditional hubs such as Singapore, Australia and other European countries which serve as favourite destinations among Indian students have sent negligible numbers of students to India. In 2021-22, the number of foreign students who undertook their post graduation in India from the following countries are Singapore with 17 students, Switzerland with 15 students, France with 20 students and Germany with 11 students.
“The main factors that influence foreign nationals getting themselves enrolled in Madras Christian College are existing cultural diversity in campus, liberal education system and green environment. We have established an innovation hub which is the first of its kind in arts and science colleges. In the academic year 2024-25, nearly 64 reputed international universities visited us. We had signed several MoUs including students and faculty exchange programmes,” says S Samuel Rufus, Associate Professor of English, Madras Christian College.
Statewise performance
Although Karnataka tops the list of states in enrolling the maximum number of foreign students in undergraduate programmes, it is the only destination that has witnessed a dip when compared among the top 5 states soon after COVID.
Karnataka which figures in the top five States continuously between 2019 and 2022, showing the highest intake of foreign nationals, registered a dip from 8,274 in 2019-20 to 6,004 students in 2021-22. Likewise, the number of foreign nationals studying post graduation in Karnataka registered a drop soon after COVID.
“A significant number of private institutions available in Karnataka is one of the reasons for the highest intake of foreign nationals. The dip in numbers after COVID is due to increasing competitiveness in the market. The premium institutions have started establishing their colleges in the neighbouring countries which opens up opportunities of receiving good education at an affordable rate,” says Prof. Chauhan.
The Madras Christian College also witnessed a dip in the number of foreign nationals soon after the COVID. “We were shocked and recovered soon after the ease of international restrictions across the world. Currently we have students from Indonesia, Ireland, Germany, United Kingdom and South Korea,” Mr. Rufus says.
Nearly a decade ago, the college undertook visits to international universities to encourage collaboration with them. “This has changed now as we are consistently ranked among the top 15 premier institutions in India. Things are picking up here as education is affordable when compared with the other western countries like the U.S. We provide very good education along with affordable housing and healthcare here,” Mr. Rufus says.
Push by UGC
In a push to boost India’s global standing in higher education, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has urged Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) across the country to ramp up efforts to attract international students, in alignment with the National Education Policy (NEP).
UGC Secretary Prof. Manish R. Joshi called on universities and colleges to implement the Commission’s 2022 guidelines, which allow for the creation of up to 25% ‘supernumerary seats’, on top of the existing enrolment, for foreign nationals in undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. The move, he said, is aimed at fostering a more inclusive and globally oriented academic environment, positioning India as a preferred destination for higher education. Prof. Joshi said that the internationalisation of higher education is one of the essential aspects of the NEP and many Indian HEls are now committed to increasing their global outreach.
The 2022 guidelines were introduced to streamline the admission process for international applicants, enabling HEIs to consider candidates based on the equivalence of their entry qualifications, thereby simplifying procedures and widening access.
Internship and industry linkages
Several HEIs are forging corporate partnerships to offer internships and placement support to foreign students to improve enrollment and retention. These internships often became a gateway to longer-term employment. The Indian Institute of Petroleum and Energy (IIPE), Visakhapatnam, has recently introduced a global internship programme, which provides research and internship opportunities to foreign students. Under the initiative, the institute covers 75% of the total expenses while the remaining 25% would be managed by the students.
Aligning with the trend, premier Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) are entering strategic partnerships with major corporate players to strengthen industry-academia collaboration and enhance career opportunities for students. At IIT (BHU), a recent tie-up with Hindalco Industries Ltd. has paved the way for a six-month, research-focused internship programme for M.Tech students.
Similarly, IIT Tirupati has signed a memorandum of understanding with Kia Motors India, establishing a comprehensive framework for cooperation. As part of the agreement, students will have access to internship opportunities that come with the potential for Pre-Placement Offers (PPOs), providing a direct pathway to employment with the automotive major. There is a provision for international academic partnerships with Korean universities, which includes student and faculty exchange programmes and joint research initiatives.
