US remains top choice for Indian students pursuing higher education abroad

New Delhi [India], November 18 (ANI): For the third year in a row, a record number of Indian students travelled to the United States to pursue higher education, the US Embassy in India said in a release.
According to the Open Doors Report (ODR), the number of international students from India to the United States increased by 35 per cent and resulted in an all-time high of 2,68,923 students in academic year 2022-23.
Indian students constitute more than 25 per cent of the over one million foreign students studying in the United States. The release of the Open Doors Report marks the beginning of International Education Week (IEW), which celebrates the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide, the embassy's release added.
According to Open Doors Report data, India surpassed China to become the largest source of international graduate students in the United States for the first time since 2009/10. The number of Indian graduate students rose by 63 per cent to 165,936 students, an increase of nearly 64,000 students, compared to last year, while Indian undergraduate students also increased by 16 per cent.
ODR data also shows India leading in the number of individuals (69,062) who pursued optional practical training (OPT), a type of temporary work permission that allows eligible students to get real-world experience related to their field of study, it added.
The US Embassy and Consulates in India issued record-high numbers of student visas during the main student visa season of June-August 2023. Consular officers across India issued 95,269 visas in the F, M, and J categories. This is an 18 per cent increase over 2022 during the same timeframe.
US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti said, "You did it, India! Each and every Indian student in the United States and the families supporting their success deserve recognition for this achievement. The decision to study abroad, and your choice of the United States, represents a valuable investment by you and your families."
"You are bringing our countries closer together and leading us towards a bright future. We celebrate the strength of the Indian educational system that prepares students to compete globally and look forward to seeing India continue to lead. We also look forward to balancing these record numbers. We want to see equal numbers of women pursuing studies in the United States and see more U.S. students coming to experience all that India has to offer," Garcetti added. (ANI)