As Tier 2-3 cities join exodus abroad its time to focus on 'Study in India'

Abstract

Last year, the number of Indian students taking admission abroad exceeded 750,000, marking a remarkable 50% increase from 2021. Notably, more than one-third of these students chose the US, indicating a substantial 35% surge compared to the preceding year. An intriguing observation highlighted by a recent TOI report is that now one in every four international students on US campuses hails from India.

While anecdotal data suggests a significant decline in the number of IIT students venturing abroad, the surge is predominantly attributed to students from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. Projections indicate that Indian households will spend an estimated $70 billion towards their children’s foreign education by 2025. Given these economic dynamics, it comes as no surprise that international universities are aggressively wooing Indian students with scholarships, newer academic programmes etc. and several countries have strategically improved their student and employment visa policies to attract Indian talent. Notably, geopolitical considerations have contributed to a decline in the number of Chinese students pursuing education abroad, while India is experiencing an exponential growth.