‘Study in India’ programmed to attract foreign students to study in India 

Ministry of Human Resource Development has approved ‘Study in India’ programme with, inter-alia, the following objectives:

1. 1. To improve the soft power of India with focus on the neighboring countries and use it as a tool in diplomacy.
   2. To boost the nuneighboringund International students in India.
   3. To double India’s market share of global education exports from less than 1 percent to 2 percent.
   4. Increase in contribution of international student in the form of direct spends, indirect spends, spillover effects.
   5. Improvement in overall quality of higher education.
   6. Increase in global ranking of India as educational destination.
   7. To reduce the export – Import imbalance in the number of International students.
   8. Growth of India’s global market share of International students

The proposed fee waivers to meritorious foreign students in this policy will be decided by the Institute concerned based on the following criteria:

1. 100% waiver of tuition fees only for the top 25% students
2. 50% waiver of tuition fees only for the next 25% students
3. 25% waiver of tuition fees only for the next 25% students
4. No waiver of tuition fee for remaining 25% of students

The expenditure on the fee waiver will have to be borne by the Institute concerned, based on cross-subsidisation or through its existing funding. No additional cash flow from Government is proposed for the same.

The ‘Study in India’ programme’s primary objective is to target foreign students by branding India as an attractive education destination. As per the existing Government framework, provision of 10-15% supernumerary seats for foreign students is there. ‘Study in India’ programme would target the foreign students to be admitted as per this provision, which would not have any adverse impact on the number of seats/ admission of Indian students.

The Government has approved an expenditure of Rs. 150 crores for the ‘Study in India’ programme for two years 2018-19 and 2019-20 which will be primarily for brand promotion activities.

As the inflow of foreign students depends on various factors viz. individual will and choice, Visa issues etc., estimation about future inflow of foreign students is not possible.

This information was given by the Minister of State (HRD), Dr. Satya Pal Singh today in a written reply to a Rajya Sabha question.