Indian students' enrolment in US institutes up by 25%

The enrolment of students from India in American educational institutes in 2015-16 registered a record 25 per cent increase over the previous year, US Ambassador Richard Verma said on Tuesday.

The Open Doors report on students mobility between India and the US, which he released here, said India has a record 165,918 students going to the US in 2015-16, comprising 15.9 per cent of the total international student population in the country.

"Since my arrival (two years ago), I have looked forward to the release of the Open Doors report each year as the number of Indian students in the US has continued to break all records. Last year, we had record percentage growth and a record number of Indian students in the US," Verma said in an event at the American Centre here.

India ranks number two in sending undergraduate students and number two for graduate students, said Matthew Asada, First Secretary for Exchange and Education at the US embassy.

On the other hand, the number of American students in India has remained relatively flat, Verma said.

"I hope that with efforts such as our Passport to India initiative, including its massive open online course on 'The Importance of India', the number of American students in India will begin to grow," Verma added.

At the same time, "we are focused on promoting student flows between our two countries, and also working to create a policy and regulatory environment in which institutional partnerships can flourish", Verma said.

"The Indian government has announced a series of steps, such as the draft National Education policy as well as regulations on the establishment of World Class universities, which promise to increase the extent of foreign collaborations."

"We look forward to the government's continued work in these areas and stand ready to partner with them on this and other higher education initiatives," Verma added.

Meanwhile, the US Commercial Service (USCS) and ELS Educational Services (ELS) of Princeton, New Jersey, have decided to organise US Education Fairs for 20 US institutions of higher education in four cities in Nepal and India from November 14 to 19.

--IANS

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