India, Feb. 16 -- The Canadian government has asked higher education institutions to look for international students beyond India, which is currently the largest source country for study permits.

"I would say universities and colleges have been going to one or two source countries and constantly going back to the well on that and we expect the diversity of students. That doesn't mean that Indian students aren't some of the best and brightest. Indeed, (as) one of the largest populations in the world, you would expect students to come from India," Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada Marc Miller told local media during an interaction in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) last week.

He added he has "asked universities and c...