Intake of international students could rise to 100K by 2030, says Niti Aayog

GOvernment believe tankful Niti Aayog has projected a tart rear in the list of inbound international students to India, estimating that enrolments could cross 100,000 by 2030 and reach between 790,000 and more than 1.1 million by 2047, provided the country undertakes “coordinated, student-centric and globally competitive reforms” across regulation, finance, branding and campus experiences.In a report released on Monday, titled ‘Internationalisation of Higher Education in India: Prospects, Potential, and Policy Recommendations’, Niti Aayog argues that internationalisation of higher education is “no longer optional but an imperative” for shaping globally competitive human capital. “International students are not merely learners, but long-term ambassadors of India’s knowledge, culture and innovation ecosystem,” it said.The report is based on an online survey of officials, vice-chancellors, senior administrators and policymakers, from over 160 Indian higher education institutions. It also draws on transnational education roundtables with leading universities from the UK, Ireland and France, with IIT Madras, the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) and Acumen acting as key knowledge partners.According to the report, India continues to attract only a small share of globally mobile students. In 2024, “for every one international student coming to India, nearly 28 Indian students went abroad”, the report said, describing the imbalance as a structural challenge with long-term implications for India’s talent ecosystem.The report states that India could host 84,000 to 130,000 international students by 2030 and 120,000 to 240,000 by 2035. Under a more ambitious scenario, inbound enrolments could reach 155,000 by 2030, 360,000 by 2035, and nearly 790,000 by 2047.To achieve these targets, the report recommends simplified visa processes, transparent fee structures, formal grievance redressal systems, quality housing, access to healthcare, part-time work and internships, and clear post-study pathways. The Study in India programme, it said, must be revamped into a single digital platform for admissions, visas, scholarships and student support.“Internationalisation at home, aligned with NEP 2020, must go hand in hand with global engagement,” the report said, adding that a welcoming, high-quality academic ecosystem would be critical to positioning India as a global education destination by 2047.