Internationalisation of Higher Education in India: NITI Aayog

Syllabus: GS2/Education

Context

• NITI Aayog released a policy report laying out a long-term roadmap to internationalise India’s higher education system, with the stated goal of turning the country into a global hub for education and research by 2047.

About

• Internationalisation refers to the systematic integration of global and intercultural dimensions into higher education through:
  • Cross-border student and faculty mobility
  • International collaborations in teaching and research
  • Establishment of foreign university campuses
  • Global recognition of degrees, credits, and qualifications
• For Example: IIT Madras is in Zanzibar, IIT Delhi in Abu Dhabi, IIM Ahmedabad in Dubai — and even the University of Southampton in Gurugram.
• NEP 2020 emphasises not only cross-border movement but also improving quality for the 97% of Indian students who study within India, ensuring they receive globally relevant education.

Why India Needs Internationalisation of Higher Education?

• Imbalance in Student Mobility: Over 13 lakh Indian students studied abroad in 2024, mainly in Canada, USA, UK, and Australia.
  • In contrast, India hosted only ~50,000 foreign students (2021–22), nearly 30% from Nepal.
• Talent Retention and Workforce Quality: While 3% of Indian students go abroad, 97% study in Indian HEIs and will form India’s future workforce.
  • Internationalisation improves the quality of teaching, curriculum, and exposure for this large domestic base.
• Global Competitiveness in Research: International collaborations enhance research impact, citations, and innovation.
  • India’s ambition to become a knowledge economy requires deeper global research partnerships, joint PhDs, and shared labs.
• Economic and Soft Power Gains: Education is a major export sector for countries like the US, UK, and Australia.
  • Becoming an education hub enhances India’s soft power, cultural influence, and diplomatic engagement, especially with the Global South.
• Demographic Advantage: India’s young population can meet global skill shortages in areas like AI, climate science, healthcare, and frontier technologies if trained to global standards.

Challenges of Internationalization of Higher Education

• Imbalance in Student Mobility: For every one international student coming to India, 28 Indian students go abroad for higher education.
• As of 2022, India hosted 47,000 international students, whereas projections suggest that with strategic reforms, the number could reach 7.89 lakh to 11 lakh by 2047.
• High Education Expenses:Indian students’ overseas education expenses are projected to hit ₹6.2 lakh crore by 2025, roughly 2% of India’s GDP.
  • These outward remittances have increased by 2,000% over the past decade, representing a massive capital and talent outflow.

• Risk of Inequality: Excessive focus on foreign collaborations may widen inequalities between elite and rural universities, diverting resources from local institutions.
• Brain Drain: It can lead to skilled graduates emigrating permanently, a challenge highlighted by NITI Aayog policy briefs.
  • The current 1:28 inbound-to-outbound ratio reflects a severe brain drain.
• Cultural Homogenization: Adoption of Western models can erode India’s educational identity and indigenous knowledge systems.
  • The NEP 2020 urges institutions to ‘Indianize’ curricula even while internationalizing.
• Regulatory Complexities: Multiple agencies like UGC, AICTE, and NAAC complicate international tie-ups due to overlapping jurisdiction and compliance burdens.

NITI Aayog’s Key Policy Recommendations

• National Strategy for Internationalisation: Create an inter-ministerial task force led by the Ministry of Education.
  • Develop dashboards to track mobility, collaborations, and global engagement. 
• Global Higher Education Hubs: Develop regional education and research hubs (similar to GIFT City model).
  • Align hubs with national missions like Digital India, Startup India, Make in India. 
• Ease of Regulation and Mobility: Simplify visa, FRRO, and documentation processes.
  • Create a National Foreign Degree Equivalence Portal. 
• Foreign University Campuses in India: Allow onshore campuses with single-window clearances.
  • Introduce “Campus within a Campus” model with a 10-year sunset clause. 
• Financing and Research Push: Establish Bharat Vidya Kosh, a USD 10 billion research impact fund, co-funded by diaspora and government.
  • Promote joint research chairs, fellowships, and visiting professorships. 
• Scholarships and Talent Attraction: Introduce Vishwa Bandhu Fellowship to attract world-class faculty and researchers. 
• Branding and Outreach: Revamp Study in India as a one-stop global platform.
  • Create Alumni Ambassador Network (Bharat ki AAN) to leverage Indian diaspora. 
• Curriculum and Cultural Integration: Promote interdisciplinary, globally benchmarked curricula.
  • Integrate Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) with global teaching and research practices. 
• Infrastructure Gaps: Many Indian institutions lack the facilities, faculty-student ratios, and support systems needed to host international students effectively.

Source: TH