Bhubaneswar: Odisha is steadily becoming a preferred destination for international students seeking higher education, with the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) playing a key role in this growth.
A recent NITI Aayog report on the internationalisation of higher education in India highlighted a consistent rise in the number of foreign students enrolling in universities and higher education institutions across the country.
Notably, during the 2021–22 academic year, Odisha recorded the highest inflow of international students for higher studies in the country.
The report highlights that Odisha is now among India’s top 10 states for attracting international students.
In the eastern region, Odisha ranks first, while KIIT stands fifth nationally among private universities for foreign student enrollment.
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Despite the presence of major metropolitan cities such as Kolkata and Hyderabad, Odisha has surpassed West Bengal, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh in attracting foreign students.
This achievement has largely been possible due to KIIT, which alone hosts nearly 2,000 international students across various academic programmes.
Importantly, the NITI Aayog report notes that out of 2,362 foreign students studying in eastern India, nearly 2,000 are enrolled at KIIT.
Students from over 70 countries are currently pursuing education at the university. So far, about 5,000 international students have graduated from KIIT, while close to 2,000 are presently studying there.
