India’s classrooms are becoming more international, but the pattern behind where students come from and where they study remains largely unchanged.The latest All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) 2023-24 shows Nepal continues to be the biggest source of foreign students coming to India. Karnataka has emerged as the state hosting the highest number of international students, narrowly ahead of Punjab.The numbers also point to a gradual rise in India’s appeal as a study destination. Foreign student enrolment has increased by nearly 19 per cent over the last five years, with students from 173 countries studying in Indian higher education institutions during the 2023-24 academic session.The Ministry of Education launched the Study in India (SII) programme in 2018 to attract international students. The latest survey offers one of the clearest pictures yet of how that effort is translating into enrolments.
Nepal remains India’s biggest source of foreign students
The survey found that Nepal accounted for 24.1 per cent of all foreign students enrolled in India during 2023-24. In other words, nearly one in every four international students studying in India came from the neighbouring country.The United Arab Emirates (UAE) followed with a 7 per cent share.The United States and Bangladesh each contributed 5.9 per cent of foreign students, while Nigeria accounted for 5.5 per cent and Zimbabwe for 4 per cent.Together, the top 10 source countries made up 63.8 per cent of all foreign student enrolments in India, showing that a significant share continues to come from a relatively small group of countries.At the same time, India’s campuses welcomed students from countries spread across different regions, including Lebanon, Burkina Faso, Mongolia, Mexico, Kazakhstan, Belarus and Chile.
Karnataka narrowly edges Punjab
Where students choose to study within India is another trend highlighted in the report.Karnataka emerged as the leading destination for foreign students, with 7,914 international students enrolled across 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 education hubs continue to attract a large share of international enrolments.
Undergraduate courses remain the biggest draw
Most international students in India are pursuing undergraduate programmes. According to the survey, 73.6 per cent of all foreign students were enrolled in undergraduate courses.A total of 42,779 students studied at the undergraduate level. Of these, 27,849 were men and 14,930 were women.Postgraduate programmes accounted for another 9,845 students, representing 16.8 per cent of total foreign enrolments.Smaller numbers were enrolled in diploma, doctoral, certificate and integrated programmes.
Foreign student numbers continue to grow
The survey also shows a steady increase in foreign student enrolment over the past five academic years. India had 48,898 foreign students in 2019-20. By 2023-24, that number had increased to 58,134.That is an increase of 9,236 students, or 18.9 per cent.The rise was seen among both men and women students. Male enrolment increased from 32,386 in 2019-20 to 37,295 in 2023-24. During the same period, the number of women students rose from 16,512 to 20,839.The All India Survey on Higher Education is the Ministry of Education’s annual exercise to map India’s higher education sector.Higher education institutions across the country upload information through a web-based Data Capture Format (DCF), covering student enrolment, faculty, staff, infrastructure and examination outcomes.The survey serves as the government’s primary database for higher education and is used for planning, policy formulation and monitoring developments across the sector.This year’s foreign student data suggests that India is attracting students from a wider range of countries while continuing to rely heavily on neighbouring nations and established education hubs.
