Institutions of National Importance like the IITs, IIMs, NITs and the Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISERs) should increase their seats by 5 per cent every year to be able to admit more international students, a working paper by government policy think tank NITI Aayog has said.
Experts studying the international mobility of students said the recommendation was more ritualistic in nature and was unlikely to change the trend of foreign students not choosing India as a study destination, which they attributed to "poor quality of education imparted by institutions in the country".
The paper, Internationalisation of Higher Education in India, reveals an increasingly outwardbound trajectory in India’s student mobility trends between 2016 and 2022. The number of Indians going abroad for higher education increased from 6.84 lakh in 2016 to 11.58 lakh in 2021, whereas the number of foreign students coming to India remained relatively stable — from 45,424 in 2016 to 46,878 in 2022.
The paper pitched for tapping alumni of prestigious Indian higher educational institutions (HEIs) who have excelled in their spheres and sectors for teaching, research or planning assignments. It said the world was witnessing a reverse brain drain globally because of domestic policies and funding cuts in leading host countries for international students such as the US.
Scholars and scientists are now seeking opportunities in other parts of the world. France has introduced the “Choose France for Science” initiative, and the Netherlands has established targeted funds to recruit foreign researchers.
To capitalise on these geopolitical opportunities and for addressing the significant imbalance between outbound and inbound students, the paper suggested that India should aim to increase international student enrolment to at least 1.5 lakh by 2030 by focusing on key source regions such as the Southeast, Central and West Asia, Anglophone Africa, Europe and Oceania.
"Annual growth targets of 10% for high-potential states and 5% for INIs (top 100 NIRF) to increase international student enrolment may be provided. In addition, bilateral agreements that include provisions for reciprocal student exchange quotas with at least 15 countries may be initiated by 2027,” the paper said. INIs refer to Institutions of National Importance and the NIRF is the National Institutional Ranking Framework.
Internationally benchmarked academic programmes may be introduced across leading HEIs, particularly in fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, the paper proposed. India may also launch a prestigious international fellowship programme to attract high-quality talent and strengthen academic diplomacy, the paper suggested.
The paper advocated a branding and outreach strategy to inform foreign academic institutions, professors, researchers and students about “affordable education, interdisciplinary curricula, cultural diversity, innovation and entrepreneurship potential, and low-cost high-impact research experience” in India.
It suggested the creation of a network of leading alumni of Indian HEIs who could share practical knowledge with their respective alma mater on various aspects of institutional capacity that would help them attract international students.
According to the existing government policy, the HEIs in India are allowed to create 15 per cent supernumerary seats to accommodate foreign students. In May 2025, the UGC asked universities to increase the number of supernumerary seats to 25 per cent of the total intake.
