British government has announced over 2,000 annual scholarships for students from developing countries, including India, to study in the UK as it seeks to boost their numbers amid growing concern over visa norms.
British universities have welcomed the government's move to prevent a further decline in the number of non-EU students.
In his Spending Review and Autumn Statement released this week, Chancellor George Osborne announced 2,200 scholarships every year for students from developing countries.
"The government is committed to strong growth in students from outside the EU, supporting the 30 billion pounds education exports ambition," the statement said.
"The number of students from outside the EU at English universities is expected to rise by 55,000, worth more than 1 billion pounds, by 2020," it said.
The number ofIndianstudentscoming to the UK fell from 18,535 in 2010-11 to 10,235 in 2012-13, according to areport by the Higher Education Funding Council for England.
Problems faced byIndian studentsapplying for visas to study in the UK was raised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his delegation-level talks with British counterpart David Cameron earlier this month.
Modi had expressed his concerns over a sharp drop in the number of Indianstudentscoming to study at British institutions over the years.
Removal of the post-study work visa route, which allowedstudentsto work for two years after finishing their course, has been seen is one of the major off-putting factors forIndianstudents, who are choosing destinations like the US and Australia over the UK.
The statement said: "To ensure universities can continue to compete with the US, Australia and Canada for top international students, dependants of post-graduates on courses lasting more than a year will be welcome to come and work."
"To help strengthen the governance and prosperity of developing countries and build strong relationships with global leaders of the future, the government will fund 2,200 scholarships per year to study in the UK," it added.
Universities UK, the representative body for the country's leading educational institutions, welcomed the announcement.
"It is welcome to hear the government highlighting the importance of international students to the UK. And repeating the projections for growth in the number of students from outside the EU by 2020," said Nicola Dandridge, Chief Executive of Universities UK.
"This is good news for international students and good news for our universities.
