Globalising Indian Higher Education: NITI Aayog’s Blueprint

Why in News ?

NITI Aayog has released a report titled “Internationalisation of Higher Education in India: Prospects, Potential, and Policy Recommendations”, aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The report comes soon after the introduction of the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill, 2025, aimed at reforming higher education regulation, and seeks to correct the sharp imbalance between outbound and inbound student mobility, positioning India as a global education and research hub.

Background & Context

India is one of the world’s largest exporters of students, yet hosts a relatively small number of international learners. This asymmetry has led to significant capital outflows, talent loss, and missed opportunities for knowledge diplomacy.

The NEP 2020 explicitly envisages India as a global study destination, promoting international campuses, foreign faculty, academic collaborations, and global rankings. However, progress has been uneven due to regulatory complexity, perception gaps, and limited internationalisation capacity across institutions.

Against this backdrop, NITI Aayog’s roadmap seeks to provide a strategic, financial, and governance framework to transform India from a student-sending country into a knowledge and research hub by 2047.

Rationale for Internationalisation

• In 2024, for every 1 international student in India, 28 Indian students went abroad (1:28 ratio).
• As of 2022, India hosted only about 47,000 international students, despite a 518% increase since 2001.
• Projections estimate 7.89–11 lakh international students by 2047, depending on policy intensity.
• Internationalisation is critical for:
  • Knowledge diplomacy and soft power
  • Talent circulation rather than one-way brain drain
  • Economic sustainability of higher education institutions
  • Building a globally competitive research ecosystem

Key Findings of the Report

Economic and Strategic Concerns

• Outward remittances under RBI’s Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS) rose by nearly 2000% over the past decade.
• Indian students’ overseas education spending is projected at ₹6.2 lakh crore by 2025 (~2% of GDP).
• This equals nearly 75% of India’s trade deficit (FY 2024–25).
• 8.5 lakh of 13.5 lakh outbound students study in high-income countries (USA, UK, Australia).
• Over 16 lakh Indians renounced citizenship since 2011, signalling long-term talent loss.

Perception and Institutional Gaps

• 41% of institutions cited limited scholarships/financial aid as a major barrier.
• 30% flagged concerns about global perception of education quality in India.
• Other constraints include:
  • Weak international student support systems
  • Inadequate global infrastructure
  • Limited international programme offerings
  • Cultural adaptation challenges

Major Policy Recommendations

Strategic and Financial Measures

• Bharat Vidya Kosh: A proposed national research sovereign wealth fund with a suggested $10 billion corpus
  • 50% from diaspora/philanthropy
  • 50% from the Central government
• Vishwa Bandhu Scholarship: To attract international students.
• Vishwa Bandhu Fellowship: To attract global research talent and foreign faculty.
• Bharat ki AAN (Alumni Ambassador Network): Mobilising Indian diaspora alumni of top Indian institutions as global ambassadors.

Mobility and Global Partnerships

• Creation of a multilateral academic mobility framework, similar to Europe’s Erasmus+, tailored for:
  • ASEAN
  • BRICS
  • BIMSTEC
• Proposed name: “Tagore Framework”, after Rabindranath Tagore.
• Promotion of:
  • “Campus within campus” models
  • More international campuses operating in India

Regulatory and Governance Reforms

• Simplified entry–exit norms for foreign students and faculty.
• Fast-track tenure pathways for foreign faculty.
• Competitive, internationally benchmarked salaries.
• Single-window clearance system covering:
  • Visas
  • Bank accounts
  • Tax IDs
  • Housing and administrative requirements
• Alignment with non-binding internationalisation standards under the proposed Manak Parishad (Standards Council).

Branding, Rankings and Outreach

• Expansion of NIRF parameters to include:
  • Globalisation and partnerships
  • Outreach and inclusivity
• Strengthening Bharat ki AAN for global branding.
• Strategic use of diaspora networks to enhance India’s academic reputation.

Curriculum and Academic Culture

• Globally relevant, updated curricula.
• Strong emphasis on:
  • International research collaboration
  • Cross-cultural learning ecosystems
  • Interdisciplinary and innovation-driven education

Methodology of the Study

• Online survey of 160 Indian higher education institutions.
• Key informant interviews with 30 institutions across 16 countries.
• National Workshop at IIT Madras.
• Transnational Education Roundtable held in the UK.

Challenges Identified and Way Forward

• Quality perception gap: Leverage diaspora capital, civilisational knowledge, and soft power.
• Fragmented regulatory ecosystem: Ensure coherence between NEP 2020, regulatory reforms, and global engagement.
• Weak internationalisation culture: Treat internationalisation as a national strategic priority.
• Brain drain and capital flight risks: Shift from a student-export model to a global education destination model.