By The Sampadak Express
In the 21st century, where the boundaries of education, economy, and technology are increasingly blurring, the internationalization of higher education has become a significant driving force for global progress. For India, which has one of the largest and most diverse education systems in the world, this is both a great opportunity and a significant challenge. A special analysis from Sampadak Express:
The Current Landscape of Higher Education in India
India has over 1,000 universities and 40,000 colleges, educating millions of students. However, despite this massive scale, Indian institutions struggle to compete with the world’s top universities. Only a handful of Indian universities secure spots in prestigious global rankings like QS World University Rankings or Times Higher Education Rankings, which highlights significant gaps, especially in research and other crucial areas.
India’s Position in the Global Education Scenario
Despite being a major education hub, India’s global standing remains modest. In the QS World University Rankings 2025, countries like the USA, UK, and China rank much higher than India. Similarly, in the Times Higher Education Rankings 2025, among Asia’s top 10 universities, China holds 5 spots, Hong Kong 2, Singapore 2, and Japan 1 while India remains absent from this list. These rankings reflect the underlying challenges within India’s higher education system.
In addition, the number of Indian students opting to study abroad continues to grow. Around 1.5 million Indian students went abroad for studies in 2023-24, and this number is expected to reach 1.8 million in 2024-25.
Preferred Study Destinations for Indian Students
Looking at the data from the past decade, this number has been growing at an annual rate of 15–20%. Canada, the USA, and the UK remain the top three destinations for Indian students, followed by countries like Germany, Australia, and France. As a result, nearly USD 40 billion flows out of India annually, accounting for about 3% of India’s GDP. Moreover, this leads to a significant brain drain as most students prefer to settle abroad after completing their studies.
A Major Step by the Indian Government
In light of these challenges, the Indian government has now allowed foreign universities to open campuses in India. Recently, the University of Liverpool from the UK signed an agreement with the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the Ministry of Education to establish a campus in Bengaluru. So far, five other prestigious foreign institutions have initiated steps to set up campuses in India:
University of Southampton (UK) in Gurugram
Illinois Institute of Technology (USA) in Mumbai
Deakin University (Australia) in Gujarat’s GIFT City
University of Wollongong (Australia) in GIFT City, Gujarat
Others are also in various stages of negotiations.
Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has expressed hope that at least 15 foreign universities will begin operations in India this year, marking a significant push toward internationalization as outlined in India’s National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
Under NEP-2020, UGC has introduced the “Regulations for Setting up and Operating Foreign Higher Educational Institutions in India, 2023”. Only those foreign institutions that rank among the top 500 globally either overall or subject-wise or are recognized as reputed institutions in their home countries, are eligible to establish campuses. The initial approval is granted for 10 years.
The Long Road to Reform
The idea of foreign universities in India has been discussed for decades. The first bill was introduced in 1995 but failed to progress. A similar proposal during the UPA government in 2007 also did not materialize. Globally, many countries have welcomed foreign campuses — for example, New York University operates campuses in Abu Dhabi, Shanghai, Berlin, Buenos Aires, and Madrid. India’s recent reforms reflect a timely, inclusive, and globally oriented approach.
Mumbai: India’s First International Education Hub
Under Maharashtra’s “Mumbai Rising Creating an International Education City” initiative, the Devendra Fadnavis government has issued Letters of Intent (LOI) to five major foreign universities. An official ceremony was held at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Mumbai. The invited universities include:
1. University of Aberdeen
2. University of York
3. University of Western Australia
4. Illinois Institute of Technology
5. Istituto Europeo di Design (IED)
How Will Students Benefit?
With the establishment of foreign campuses, Indian students will have access to high-quality degrees and skills at affordable costs. India could also emerge as an attractive destination for students from Asia and Africa. This will help reduce the number of Indian students going abroad, save foreign exchange, and curb brain drain. These campuses will offer advanced resources, trained faculty, and modern infrastructure. Estimates suggest that if enough foreign universities open in India, up to 75% of Indian students may choose to study domestically.
Affordable and quality education will also attract many students from the Global South, increasing foreign investment and talent inflow into India. The establishment of such reputed campuses will mark a milestone in India’s global academic partnerships, further enhancing India’s growing economy, opportunities, and soft power.
Future Challenges
Despite these positive steps, India must urgently strengthen its educational infrastructure. The government needs to increase public investment in higher education. If full government funding is not feasible, Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) can be explored.
Allowing foreign institutions and domestic industrial houses up to 49% equity could boost investment and breathe new life into India’s underfunded and bureaucratically constrained institutions. Additionally, the management and administration of these institutions must be professionalized and kept free from political interference.
While setting up foreign campuses in India is a welcome move, several regulatory aspects academic autonomy, land ownership, taxation, faculty recruitment, etc. require careful handling. It’s important to ensure that these institutions prioritize cooperation and knowledge-sharing rather than operating solely for commercial interests.
They must not become exclusive institutions catering only to the elite but must also ensure inclusion of marginalized and underprivileged students. The government should consider expanding the scope of the Right to Education Act (2009) to address these concerns. Alongside attracting reputed foreign universities, it is equally important to safeguard these broader goals to ensure meaningful and targeted internationalization of India’s higher education system.
