New Delhi, Jan. 29 -- India needs to raise its 'education-tourism' strategy to bring in more international students, as competition from neighbouring countries has increased. The Economic Survey found that in 2024, for every international student who came to India, 28 Indian students went abroad, with significant associated foreign exchange costs.

The study calls for offering courses beyond full-time degrees and for exploring initiatives such as summer schools, semester-abroad modules, heritage and philosophy tracks, and rural-immersion labs.

India remains the principal host within South Asia, attracting over four-fifths of all inbound students to the sub-region in 2023, largely from neighbouring countries such as Nepal, Afghanistan, Ba...