NITI Aayog Report on Internationalization of Higher Education in India

1. NITI Aayog has released a report titled “Internationalization of Higher Education in India.”
2. The report examines challenges, rationale, and policy measures for integrating Indian higher education with global systems.

Challenges in Internationalization of Indian Higher Education

1. One major challenge is resource constraints.
   • Many Indian Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have limited capacity to raise budgets for expansion.
2. Another critical challenge is brain drain.
   • A high percentage of top-tier Indian graduates choose to settle abroad.
   • This trend limits the domestic knowledge and research base.
3. Infrastructure gaps pose a structural challenge.
   • Less than 15% of Indian HEIs meet international expectations.
   • These expectations relate to campus facilities, student housing.
   • These expectations further include safety protocols.
4. Regulatory bottlenecks act as procedural barriers.
5. India currently has complicated visa procedures for international students and faculty.
6. There are heavy documentation requirements.
7. There is an absence of a fast-track academic visa category.

Internationalization under National Education Policy (NEP) 2020

1. Internationalization of higher education is a central pillar of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
2. NEP 2020 aims to transform India’s higher education into a globally integrated system.
3. One focus area is increasing the ratio of international students and faculty in Indian HEIs.
4. Another focus area is enabling the presence of local campuses of top global institutions in India.
5. A further focus is the expansion of Indian HEIs outside India.

Why India Needs Internationalization of Higher Education

1. One key reason is the rise in outward remittances for education.
   • Outward remittances increased by over 2,000% in a decade.
   • They reached nearly USD 3.4 billion in 2023–24.
   • This amount equals around 53% of India’s Union higher education budget.
2. Internationalization supports the democratization of quality education.
   • Nearly 97% of Indian students study in domestic institutions.
3. Internationalization enables them to access world-class education aligned with global standards.
4. Internationalization enhances global readiness of the workforce.
5. It embeds international benchmarks within Indian campuses.
6. It promotes faculty exchanges and integrates global curricula.
7. These measures prepare India’s workforce to be world-ready and globally competitive.
8. Internationalization also helps in countering brain drain.
9. It enables better harnessing of the Indian diaspora.
10. It improves global university rankings.
    • Higher rankings result from increased international student and faculty ratios.
11. It strengthens soft power projection.
    • An example of soft power projection is IIT Delhi’s offshore campus in Abu Dhabi.

Policy Recommendations by NITI Aayog

1. Under governance reforms, NITI Aayog recommends establishing an Inter-Ministerial Task Force.
2. It also proposes Country Centres of Excellence (CoEs).
   • These CoEs are to be set up in 54 Central Universities.
   • The CoEs will act as nodal points for engagement with specific nations.
3. Under regulatory reforms, the report recommends revising the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF).
   • NIRF rankings should include internationalization metrics.
4. The report also suggests simplifying visa documentation procedures.
5. Under financial reforms, the report proposes launching Bharat Vidya Kosh.
   • Bharat Vidya Kosh is a USD 10 billion sovereign research fund.
   • It also recommends launching the Vishwa Bandhu flagship scholarship.
   • This scholarship aims to attract global researchers.
   • It also targets international master’s students.
6. Under branding and outreach, the report proposes the Bharat ki AAN (Alumni Ambassador Network).
   • This network will engage successful Indian-origin alumni.
   • Alumni will act as global brand ambassadors for Indian education.
7. The report also recommends revamping the “Study in India” portal.
8. The portal should function as a one-stop digital solution.
9. Under curriculum and cultural reforms, the report emphasizes Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS).
   • IKS refers to India’s traditional and indigenous knowledge frameworks.
10. These systems should be integrated with global academic standards.
11. The report also mandates industry-relevant internships.
12. It further recommends reflective writing modules in degree programmes.