Bangalore, Mumbai, Chennai, and Delhi are featured in the recently published QS Best Student City Rankings 2023, but India’s overall rating is below the student mix indicator as the proportion of international students is minimal compared to domestic students.
Mumbai is in 103rd place, scoring for purchasing power but struggling with a mix of preferences and students, while Chennai and Delhi made their entry into the list at 125 and 129 positions. The ranking is based on a variety of factors, including affordability, quality of life, university standards, and previous student feedback.
The Study in India (SII) program launched by the Ministry of Education in 2018 has attracted students from neighboring countries, but it has to cross geographical boundaries to support India as a major learning hub for international students by inviting them for higher education in India. According to the AISHE (All India Survey on Higher Education ) 2018-19, the number of international students enrolled in Indian universities was only 47,427. India wants to attract 200,000 international students by the end of 2023, more than four times the current total.
Lingaraja Gandhi, vice-chancellor of Bangalore City University, said NEP 2020 has suggested changes in courses and curricula that will enhance the quality of Indian universities worldwide. He said, “Numerous central, public and private universities that offer a mix of specialised and general degrees, with emphasis on skill-based learning will attract international students, who will get to pick and choose. The NEP curriculum also integrates knowledge, skills, and values through an experiential learning model that will attract foreign students.”
Balaram Pani, dean of colleges, University of Delhi added, “The first step would be to figure out popular areas of study for students from different regions and introduce suitable courses. Next, educational institutes need to organise counselling sessions and advertise the courses to spread the word about the availability of desired courses.”
He also added, “An increase in collaborations with international universities will encourage foreign students to pick India as their educational destination. The government has started easing the process to increase such collaborations. Involvement of all stakeholders in spreading the word about availability of quality education in Indian cities is another key step. Alumni associations across the globe can be roped in to hold outreach programmes to reassure international students regarding making a choice to study in India.”