The  recent suicide of a Nepali student at a private university in India  is a significant setback for the Study in India (SII) initiative.

Need for Institutional Reforms

• Inequality and Subjugation: The incident reflects deep-rooted issues of inequality, subjugation, and discrimination in higher education.
• Unaddressed struggles: India’s aspiration to be a “Vishwa Guru” (global teacher) and provide inclusive education remains policy rhetoric due to the unaddressed struggles of a diverse student body.
• Inadequate Mechanisms: Regulatory mechanisms to address student diversity are inadequate. There is an urgent need for:
  • Empathetic leadership in universities.
  • Trained professionals to promote and honor student diversity.

Internationalisation of Higher Education in India

• Benefits: Internationalisation integrates global dimensions into education. Cross-border student mobility fosters a global outlook and intercultural competencies.
• Components: Internationalisation at home” includes:
  • Restructuring courses and curricula to meet global standards.
  • Introducing the liberal arts model and four-year degree programs.
• Study in India (SII) Scheme: It was launched in 2018 to transform India from a “sending country” to a “destination country”. 
  • It offers scholarships and fee waivers to attract foreign students. Crucial for India’s goal of becoming a “Vishwa Guru”.
• Foreign Student Enrolment in India
  • Total foreign students (2021-22): 46,878 from 170 countries.
  • Negligible compared to India’s overall enrolment of 43.3 million (4.33 crores).
• Top source countries (2021-22):
  • Nepal (28%)
  • Afghanistan (6.7%)
  • United States (6.2%)
  • Bangladesh (5.6%)
  • UAE (4.9%)
  • Bhutan (3.3%)
  • 64.7% of foreign students come from just 10 countries.
• Enrolment Trends: Total enrolment growth (2012-13 to 2021-22): 3 crore to 4.33 crore. Foreign student growth (2012-13 to 2021-22): 34,774 to 46,878 (marginal increase).

Challenges Faced by Students Pursuing Higher Education in India

• Heterogeneous Population: Foreign students in India come from diverse national, cultural, linguistic, and schooling backgrounds. 
• Differences: India’s student diversity is unparalleled, with differences in caste, class, language, physical ability, and gender. 
  • Policymakers must understand and address the changing dynamics of diversity in education.
• Persistent Discrimination: Caste, ethnicity, and gender-based discrimination still persist in colleges and universities. 
  • Students from vulnerable backgrounds face higher distress and discrimination from peers, teachers, and institutions. 
• Exclusion: The deep-rooted social structure assumes some groups to be inferior, leading to exclusion and bias.
• Ineffective Mechanisms: Institutions have various student welfare committees, including SC/ST Cell, Gender Cell, and Grievance Redressal. 
  • UGC’s 2024 guidelines mandate an SEDG cell, and many universities appoint Deans for Student Affairs. 
  • However, the lack of trained professionals limits their effectiveness.

Way Forward

• Feedback and Monitoring: Establish national/state/institutional mechanisms to collect regular student feedback on social and academic experiences. Develop strategies to promote diversity and prevent discrimination based on this feedback.
• Sensitization: Create a cadre of student affairs professionals to handle student welfare and inclusivity.
• Training: Provide mandatory training for institutional leaders, teachers, and staff on cultural sensitivity.
• Incentives: Recognize and incentivize faculty involvement in student welfare.
• Institutional Restructuring: Historically designed for elites, higher education institutions must adapt to the growing diversity of underrepresented communities and foreign students. 
  • Structural reforms should ensure an inclusive curriculum, equitable classrooms, and a welcoming campus to support all students’ aspirations.

Conclusion

Addressing diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education requires urgent reforms. Strong institutional mechanisms, training programs, and feedback systems are essential for fostering a truly inclusive learning environment.

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