Lok Sabha Question No. 90 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-02-04
Subject: Quality Education
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: ANANDRAO  ADSUL, DHARMENDRA YADAV, PRITAM GOPINATH MUNDE, Shrirang Appa Barne, SHIVAJI ADHALRAO PATIL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.90 TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.02.2019

## Quality Education

## 90. SHRI ANANDRAO ADSUL:

## SHRI DHARMENDRA YADAV: DR. PRITAM GOPINATH MUNDE: SHRI SHRIRANG APPA BARNE: SHRI ADHALRAO PATIL SHIVAJIRAO:

Will the Minister of HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

(a)  whether  India  can  provide  high  quality  education  at  an  affordable  price  to  the  foreign students;

(b) if so, the number of foreign students currently enrolled across institutions;

(c) whether the Government is working on an ambitious mission to draw over one lakh foreign students to study in Indian institutions under 'Study in India' mission;

(d) if so, the facts in this regard;

(e) whether the Government has targeted the countries for sending students to India for higher studies; and

(f) whether the Ministry has consulted the Ministry of External Affairs in this regard and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (DR SATYA PAL SINGH)

(a): Government of India has taken a number of initiatives to attract foreign students to study in  India  including  recently  launched  Study  in  India(SII)  Programme.  Though  affordability  in respect of a foreign student is a relative  term  and  mostly depends on various factors such as country  of  origin,  financial  background  of  a  foreign  student,  studying  in  India  in  itself  is generally considered affordable. However, under SII Programme, meritorious foreign students are offered scholarships and the participating institutions offer fee waivers ranging from 100% to 25% on merit basis making the cost of study even more affordable.

(b): The Association of Indian Universities (AIU) has published an occasional paper 2017/1 'Internationalisation of Higher Education in India - Annual Survey of International Students in India  2014-15'  in  which  the  details  of  foreign  students  studying  in  India  University-wise,  in respect  of  the  member  institutions  of  the  AIU,  is  available.    This  paper  can  be  accessed  at http://www.aiu.ac.in/International/AIU\_International\_Students\_2017%20(2).pdf.

(c) to (f): The Government of India has taken various steps for increasing the inflow of foreign students in the country. MHRD has launched Study in India Programme on 18.04.2018, with due consultation  with  Ministry  of  External  Affairs,  with  the  aim  to  make  India  an  education destination/hub for foreign students by way of increasing the inflow of inbound International Students  through  systematic  brand  building,  marketing,  social  media  and  digital  marketing campaigns. The programme focuses on attracting foreign students from select 30 plus countries. The programme envisages participation of select reputed Indian institutes/universities by way of offering  seats  for  the  International  students  at  affordable  rates,  along  with  fee  waivers  to meritorious foreign students ranging from 100% to 25%. The program offers scholarships also to meritorious students. A centralised admission web-portal (https://studyinindia.gov.in) acts as a  single  window  for  the  admission  of  foreign  students.  In  the  first  round,  more  than  5000 foreign students have been placed in different institutions in the year 2018-19.

*****