Indian classrooms are becoming more international, but the pattern of where students come from and where they study remains largely unchanged.The latest All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) 2023-24 shows that Nepal remains the main source of foreign students coming to India. Karnataka has emerged as the state hosting the largest number of international students, far ahead of Punjab.The figures also point to a gradual increase in India’s attractiveness as a study destination. Foreign student enrollment has increased by nearly 19 percent over the past five years, with students from 173 countries studying at Indian higher education institutions in the 2023-24 academic session.The Ministry of Education launched the Study in India (SII) program in 2018 to attract international students. The latest survey offers one of the clearest pictures yet of how that effort is translating into enrollment.
Nepal remains the main source of foreign students from India
The survey found that Nepal accounted for 24.1 percent of all foreign students enrolled in India in 2023-24. In other words, almost one in four international students studying in India came from the neighboring country.The United Arab Emirates (UAE) followed with a share of 7%.The United States and Bangladesh each contributed 5.9% of foreign students, while Nigeria accounted for 5.5% and Zimbabwe 4%.Together, the top 10 countries of origin accounted for 63.8 percent of all foreign student enrollments in India, showing that a significant proportion continues to come from a relatively small group of countries.At the same time, the campuses in India hosted students from countries spread across different regions, including Lebanon, Burkina Faso, Mongolia, Mexico, Kazakhstan, Belarus and Chile.
Karnataka closely borders Punjab
Where students choose to study in India is another trend highlighted in the report.Karnataka emerged as the top destination for foreign students, with 7,914 international students enrolled in its higher education institutions.Punjab followed closely with 7,902 students.Maharashtra secured the third position with 6,190 students, followed by Uttar Pradesh with 5,953 and Tamil Nadu with 5,694.The figures indicate that established schools continue to attract a large proportion of international enrolments.
Undergraduate courses remain the biggest draw
Most of the international students in India are pursuing degree programs. According to the survey, 73.6 percent of all foreign students were enrolled in undergraduate courses.A total of 42,779 students studied undergraduate studies. Of these, 27,849 were men and 14,930 were women.Graduate programs had another 9,845 students, representing 16.8 percent of total foreign enrollments.A smaller number enrolled in diploma, doctoral, certificate, and integrated programs.
The number of foreign students continues to grow
The survey also shows a steady increase in foreign student enrollment over the past five academic years. India had 48,898 foreign students in 2019-20. By 2023-24, this number had increased to 58,134.This represents an increase of 9,236 students, or 18.9 percent.The increase was seen among both male and female students. Male enrollment increased from 32,386 in 2019-20 to 37,295 in 2023-24. During the same period, the number of students went from 16,512 to 20,839.The Higher Education Survey of India is the Ministry of Education’s annual exercise to map India’s higher education sector.Higher education institutions across the country upload information using a web-based data capture format (DCF), including student enrolment, faculty, staff, infrastructure and examination results.The survey serves as the government’s main database for higher education and is used for planning, policy making and monitoring developments in the sector.This year’s foreign student data suggests that India is attracting students from a wider range of countries even as it continues to rely heavily on neighboring nations and established educational institutions.