Indiaseems to have emerged a sought after destination for students coming fromIran,AfghanistanandNepal.Of the 27,000-odd foreign students, close to 9,600 students from these countries are enrolled in campuses across the country.
With 4,779 students studying in India, Nepal leads the table followed by 2,589 students from Iran and 2,164 from Afghanistan.
As per statistics placed inParliamentthis week, there are just about 20 students fromPakistanin Indian campuses.
Officials in HRD Ministry said India's IT skills, its English base, technology and better political climate is attracting students from across the world.
Figures also reveal that universities and institutes in the country are witnessing an increased number of students from West and from the African continent.
Sudan for example has a sizable presence here with 1,166 students enrolled in various programmes. There are 714 students from Tanzania, 518 from Ethiopia, 406 fromKenya, 409 from Rwanda, 286 from Somalia, 284 from Nigeria and 206 from South Africa.
Significantly, 1,019 students from USA are enrolled in Indian campus of which 495 are male and 524 are female students.
Disclosing the figures in a written reply in Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for HRD Shashi Tharoor said the Home Ministry is already developed a 'Foreign Student Information System (FSIS) module under the immigration, visa, foreigner registration and tracking system.
He said educational institutions that provide admission to foreign students have initiated submitting on-line details of such students on the FSIS.
The figures show that while students from distant places such as Chile, Bolivia, Brazil, Peru and Ecuador have taken admission in Indian campuses, there are students from other countries such as French Guiana, Guinea-Bissau, Isle Of Man, American Samoa, Cote D'Ivoire and Brunei Darussalam who have taken up programmes in India.
China has 951 of its students studying here, UK has 123 students, 53 from France and Israel has 45 of its students studying here.
Closer home, 1,246 students are enrolled from Bhutan, 878 students are enrolled from Sri Lanka and 555 from Bangladesh.
This apart, 891 from Iraq, 729 from Yemen, 490 from UAE, 270 students from Bahrain, 277 from Oman, 261 from Saudi Arabia are pursuing education here.
ByBusiness Standard
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