Nepal Accounts For 24.1% of Foreign Students in India: AISHE Report

Nepal remained the largest source of international students studying in India during the 2023-24 academic year, while Karnataka emerged as the leading destination for foreign students, according to the latest All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) 2023-24. The survey, prepared by the Ministry of Education, reported that Indian universities and colleges enrolled 58,134 international students from 173 countries, highlighting the country's growing appeal as a higher education destination.

According to the AISHE report, students from Nepal accounted for 24.1 per cent of all international enrolments in India. The United Arab Emirates ranked second with 7 per cent, followed by the United States and Bangladesh at 5.9 per cent each, Nigeria at 5.5 per cent and Zimbabwe at 4 per cent. Collectively, the top 10 source countries contributed 63.8 per cent of the total international student population in Indian higher education institutions.

Among Indian states, Karnataka hosted the highest number of international students with 7,914 enrolments, narrowly ahead of Punjab, which recorded 7,902 students. Maharashtra ranked third with 6,190 foreign students, followed by Uttar Pradesh with 5,953 and Tamil Nadu with 5,694. The report indicates that these states continue to attract students due to their established educational institutions and diverse academic programmes.

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The survey also found that undergraduate programmes remained the most popular choice among international students. A total of 42,779 students, representing 73.6 per cent of all foreign enrolments, were pursuing undergraduate courses, including 27,849 men and 14,930 women. Postgraduate programmes accounted for 9,845 students or 16.8 per cent of total enrolments, while smaller numbers were enrolled in diploma, PhD, certificate and integrated courses.

AISHE data showed steady growth in international student enrolment over the past five academic years. The number of foreign students increased from 48,898 in 2019-20 to 58,134 in 2023-24, representing a rise of 9,236 students or 18.9 per cent. Both male and female enrolments recorded growth during the period, reflecting increasing international interest in Indian higher education institutions.

The report also noted that, in addition to neighbouring countries, India attracted students from nations including Lebanon, Burkina Faso, Mongolia, Mexico, Kazakhstan, Belarus and Chile. To strengthen India's position as a global education hub, the Ministry of Education continues to promote the Study in India programme, launched in 2018, which aims to encourage students from around the world to pursue higher education at Indian universities and colleges.

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