Nepal continued to be the largest source of international students studying in India, while Karnataka hosted the highest number of foreign students during the 2023-24 academic year, according to the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) 2023-24. The details were reported by PTI.
As PTI reported, Indian higher education institutions welcomed students from 173 countries in 2023-24. A total of 58,134 international students were enrolled in universities and colleges across the country.
The AISHE report, prepared by the Ministry of Education, collects data from higher education institutions across India. The survey includes information on student enrolment, faculty, infrastructure, examination results and other key indicators. It is one of the government’s main sources of data for planning and improving higher education.
Nepal tops the list of source countries
According to the report, Nepal accounted for the highest share of international students in India at 24.1 per cent. It was followed by the United Arab Emirates (7 per cent), United States (5.9 per cent), Bangladesh (5.9 per cent), Nigeria (5.5 per cent), and Zimbabwe (4 per cent).
The top 10 countries together contributed 63.8 per cent of all international students studying in India during the academic year.
Karnataka hosts the most foreign students
Among Indian states, Karnataka emerged as the top destination for international students with 7,914 enrolments. Punjab followed closely with 7,902 students.
Other states with a high number of foreign students included Maharashtra (6,190), Uttar Pradesh (5,953) and Tamil Nadu (5,694).
Most students chose undergraduate courses
As PTI stated, the majority of international students were enrolled in undergraduate programmes, which accounted for 73.6 per cent of total foreign student enrolment. A total of 42,779 international students were pursuing undergraduate courses, including 27,849 men and 14,930 women.
Another 9,845 students were enrolled in postgraduate programmes, which made up 16.8 per cent of the total international student population. Smaller numbers of students were pursuing diploma, PhD, certificate and integrated courses.
Foreign student enrolment sees steady rise
The report also showed that international student enrolment in India has increased over the past five years. The number of foreign students rose from 48,898 in 2019-20 to 58,134 in 2023-24, an increase of 9,236 students, or 18.9 per cent.
The growth was seen among both male and female students. Male enrolment increased from 32,386 to 37,295, while female enrolment rose from 16,512 to 20,839 during the same period.
Besides neighbouring countries, India also attracted students from countries such as Lebanon, Burkina Faso, Mongolia, Mexico, Kazakhstan, Belarus and Chile.
To attract more international students, the Ministry of Education launched the Study in India (SII) programme in 2018. The initiative aims to promote India as a preferred destination for higher education among students from across the world.
