The universities and higher education establishments across the country are now allowed to create up to 25 percent supernumerary seats for foreign students in their undergraduate and postgraduate programs, as per UGC Chairman Jagadesh Kumar in PTI. For admissions, there will be no entrance tests and Mr. Kumar said that the decision was perceived at a meeting of the University Grants Commission which was conducted the passed by week’s ‘Internationalisation of UG and PG Programmes in India.’

The supernumerary seats will be crafted beyond the total sanctioned strength and the decision for the seats will be applauded by concerned higher educational institutions (HEIs) as per specific guidelines and regulations and issued by the regulatory bodies considering the infrastructure, faculty, and other requirements. “Indian HEIs might be admitting international students based on the equivalency of entre qualifications conducted by them. The equivalence is to be considered by UGC or any other body recognized by UGC for such purpose or the concerned regulatory governs of India. HEIs might adopt a transparent admission process for admitting the international student,” by UGC Chairman in PTI.

UGC Chairman further added, “HEIs may create up to 25 percent supernumerary seats for international students, over and above of their total sanctioned enrolment for undergraduate and postgraduate programs. "The decision regarding 25 percent supernumerary seats has to be carried out by the concerned higher educational institutions as per specific guidelines/regulations issued by the regulatory bodies considering the infrastructure, faculty, and other requirements.”

The international students will not be included in supernumerary seats and the international students under the exchange programs and through the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between institutions or between the Indian government and related countries. The HEIs will also be permitted to admit international students using a transparent admission process as is done by the foreign universities and that these students do not have to go through the entrance process used for admissions in India.

Mr. Kumar detailed, “The seats shall be exclusively meant for the international students both in the undergraduate and postgraduate programs. A seat that remained unfilled in the supernumerary category, shall not be allocated to anyone other than an international student. International students in this context shall be defined as the one who shall possess a foreign passport.”

The decision by the commission states the provision of creation supernumerary seats for international students should be formalized by way of approval of the statutory body of the HEIs as per the guidelines and regulations issued by the regulatory bodies at times.

Mr. Kumar added, “The supernumerary seats in professional and technical institutes shall be governed by the respective statutory bodies. All details regarding the number of seats available for international students in each program, fee prescribed for the same, admission process, eligibility conditions, etc. shall be made available on the website of the HEI.”

As according to the Ministry of External Affair’s data, a total of 23,439 foreign students arrived in India in 2021. In 2019, over 75,000 international students had come to India for higher studies.

Kumar added, “Internationalisation of higher education is an essential aspect of the National Education Policy 2020 and helps in integrating the international and intercultural dimensions in higher education," Mr. Kumar said. "Opportunities to attract international students, academics, and funding are growing and many Indian HEIs are now committed to increasing their international outreach.”

Adding to the statement, Mr. Kumar incited, “To facilitate the internationalization of Indian HEIs, the UGC has framed the guidelines for admission and creation of supernumerary seats for international students. "The main objectives of these guidelines are to facilitate a smooth and simple admission of international students in higher educational institutions of India, to create a favorable environment for attracting international students to Indian higher education system, and to make India a preferred destination for international students.”