Need to ground India’s ambitions as global education hub in reality

African students make up a significant share of international enrolments in Indian institutions, accounting for roughly a quarter of the total in 2025 (Photo: Kwame Mensah)

Recently the Indian government announced its ambition to make India a global education hub to attract thousands of students from all across the world. The announcement glossed over the fact that India has long attracted students from Africa and neighbouring regions. However, to take India to a higher orbit as a place that can attract students not just from the poor countries but equally the developed world, the governments to take a reality check. Rising costs along with dropping quality and numerous cultural barriers, including racism, and inadequate institutional support raise serious questions about India’s ability to compete as a global education hub.

Almost ever since the independence, Pune, a big city near Mumbai, has been known as the education hub of India as it houses some of the most unique and avant-garde colleges as well as centres of research, like the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing, the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics, the National Institute of Virology, along with dozens of others.

Thanks to its highly-ranked colleges and university, Pune has also been the magnet to attract foreign students, mainly from Africa and neighbouring countries, to come and study in India. Over the years, foreign students began enrolling in other universities and colleges across India.

The Study in India initiative is said to be aiming to build on this and to increase international student numbers from around 50,000-200,000 by 2030. However, to get anywhere close to that target, the government needs a reality check as yet the country’s education sector faces several challenges.

Students from countries such as Nigeria, Ghana, Ethiopia and Tanzania still come here to study, but changing costs, new global options and everyday challenges have altered the story that once drew them in.

African students in particular face practical difficulties navigating day-to-day life on campus, highlighting that government targets may be aspirational rather than reflective of the student experience.

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In 2025, about 15,500 African students were enrolled in Indian institutions, making up roughly 25 pc of all international students in the country, according to a Global Student Flows report. 

These numbers reflect steady interest but not the rapid growth of earlier years. Experts estimate annual growth of around 6 pc, leaving some university leaders concerned about competition from the Middle East and Asia.

The cost calculus has been a core part of India’s appeal. Total annual expenses for international students including tuition and living costs range between USD 3,400 and USD 8,800 in many programmes, significantly lower than similar degrees in the United States, the United Kingdom or Australia. 

Tuition often falls between USD 1,000 and USD 4,000 per year and living costs in Indian cities are frequently under USD 400 per month. Yet students’ experiences show that affordability is only one part of the picture.

For many African students, studying in India offers academic opportunities, but also unexpected challenges.

Kwame Mensah

“I chose India because the fees were affordable and the degree is recognised back home,” Kwame Mensah, a Ghanian national who is a 2nd year student of Bachelors of Business Administration at Apeejay Stya University in Gurugram, tells Media India Group.

“In class, English works fine, but outside lectures it is different. Most notices, hostel updates, canteen instructions and travel guidance are in Hindi or local languages. Other students often make fun of my accent, which makes simple things more stressful. While English suffices in classrooms, day-to-day life like commuting, navigating the campus or even ordering food in canteen is shaped by local languages, leaving many African students in little trouble,” says Mensah.

Food is another big adjustment not just limited to college canteen. Indian campuses are known for their busy canteens and widespread thali culture, but that does not always translate to familiarity.

“Hostel meals are mostly rice, dal and spices, which are great sometimes. But after months, you crave the tastes of home yams, stews, familiar spices. I learned to cook for myself, but groceries add to my monthly costs and take time away from study,” Amina Msuya, a Tanzanian postgraduate student of Psychology at Amity University, Noida, tells Media India Group. 

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Even social reception varies in tone and intensity. While many classmates and local peers are welcoming, students describe moments outside campus that can feel less inclusive.

“In class and with professors, respect is the norm. But in markets or on buses, people sometimes stare or make assumptions just because I look different. I have not faced direct hostility, but the sense of being watched all the time is draining,” Samuel Okoro, a 4th year student of BA LLB at Apeejay Stya University, in Gurugram and who hails from Nigeria, tells Media India Group.

Zahara Abebe

For Zahara Abebe, an Ethiopian postgraduate student, B Tech-Computer Science at Amity University in Noida, the issue is less about individual interactions and more about institutional awareness.

“Hostel allocations, fee deadlines, even exam schedules change without consulting international students. It feels like the system was not built for us. There is no dedicated support for issues we face and when we try to ask for help, it is often dismissed or delayed. It makes you feel like second-class students even though we pay full or even extra fees,” Abebe tells Media India Group.

“I have had times when important announcements were made only in Hindi by the warden of the hostel and even other students refuse to explain or laugh at my questions. It is frustrating because it slows everything down, from travel, canteen access, class updates. Sometimes it feels like being here is more about surviving than learning,” adds Abebe.

These lived experiences the navigation of language, food and inclusion influence what students take away from their time in India.

The economics of choice

While low-cost may have worked earlier, but India’s key attraction of affordable tuition is not enough today when students have more options than before. Competing destinations such as Malaysia, Türkiye and South Africa are actively recruiting African students with English-taught programmes and scholarships that rival or even undercut India’s fees. 

European countries and Canada, while more expensive overall, often offer clearer post-study work opportunities and support services that many students value.

Even within India, some universities have cut international fees by up to 80 pc, but price reductions cannot substitute for mentoring, cultural orientation and integration support. Without robust systems addressing daily life and inclusion, India risks losing its competitiveness.

Today, while India still attracts foreign students, the overall experience academic, social and cultural falls short, leaving many to question whether the country can meet its global education ambitions.