TO WIN OVER FOREIGN STUDENTS, INDIA MUST FIX THE POST-STUDY EMPLOYMENT GAP

India offers affordable education, but without job prospects, global students stay away. Here's what must change to close the gap.

- 

India's ambitious and well-articulated goal of attracting 500,000 foreign students to its universities is beset by operational and structural inadequacies as well as a dearth of excellent placement chances in the nation's industrial sector. Still, India is undoubtedly of interest to international students.

According to research in the American Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Development, reasons for choosing to study in India include the chance to learn in an academic setting where English is the primary language, as well as the affordability of tuition and living costs. The promise of cultural immersion and the availability of a variety of academic programmes are also important draws.

The 'Study in India' campaign, launched officially in 2018 to establish India as a major international center for higher education, was administered by the Ministry of Education and carried out by EdCIL (India) Limited. It sought to draw foreign students to Indian colleges by providing top-notch instruction at reasonable prices. But after almost five years, it's clear that intent is insufficient on its own.

The numbers are self-evident. According to figures from the Ministry of Education, India hosted less than 47,000 international students in 2023. Even if there are some examples of institutional advancement, structural and operational inefficiencies plague the larger ecosystem. For the record, a majority of international students are from nearby countries like Nepal, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and the UAE, and others. Rwanda, Nigeria, Sudan, and other eastern African countries make up a respectable portion.

Internationally speaking U.S., Canada, and the U.K. together account for almost 40% of the worldwide international student flow. France, Australia, and Germany are the most alluring study abroad locations in comparison to the big three. China today has around 200,000 international students.