According to reports, India is going to start its own English language test similar to TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) as a qualifying test for foreign students willing to study here.

As per the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) President Dr Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, the government has identified issues that are limiting India from being listed in the top 15 countries in the world for education.  Currently, India ranks 26 among the most favourite global destinations for education.

One of the reasons for India not being in the top 15 is reportedly attributed to the fact that students from non-English speaking foreign countries studying in India find it difficult to cope with English medium education.

According to ICCR, around 50,000 foreign students are studying in India and these students have mostly come from Asian and African countries. Currently, around 4,000 foreign students receive scholarships from ICCR.

The government is also considering providing accommodation to couples as a large number of foreign students are married.

Furthermore, a national conference on ‘Destination India’ will be held in Pune on January 28 and 29 as a joint initiative of ICCR, Savitribai Phule Pune University and Symbiosis International. The conference will be conducted with an aim to prepare a roadmap to bring two lakh foreign students to India by 2022.