Until now, there has only been anecdotal evidence. But, finally, there are some hard numbers to show that the U.S. may be losing some of its charms as the destination of choice for Indian students. According to the U.S.-based Institute of International Education (IIE), the number of Indian students in the U.S. has dropped for two consecutive years.
IIE’s Open Doors 2012 report says that there was a 3.5% decline in 2011-2012 compared to the previous year, which itself recorded a 1% drop. “India had been the leading place of origin for international students in the U.S.,” says the report. Now, that position has gone to China. In 2011-2012, there were 100,270 students from India studying in the U.S. By comparison, there were 194,029 Chinese students, up 23% over the previous year.
looking beyond borders 