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India has long been recognized for its rich cultural heritage and ancient centres of learning, and today, the nation stands at a transformative crossroads as it positions itself as an emerging global educational hub. With an increasingly diverse body of international students from neighbouring South Asian countries like Nepal, Bangladesh, and Bhutan, to nations in Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. India is witnessing both immense promise and critical challenges in its higher education landscape. This article explores into the multifaceted dimensions of India’s educational growth, examining the country’s strengths in academic offerings and cultural connectivity while bringing into sharp focus the pressing issues of student safety, institutional responsibilities, legal and diplomatic frameworks, and the broader impact on India’s global reputation. Central to this discussion is the tragic case of Prakriti Lamsal at the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Odisha, which has become a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities that international students may face and a catalyst for necessary reforms.
Drawing on detailed analyses, the article highlights India’s strengths as an educational hub while examining the systemic challenges that threaten student welfare. It covers educational dynamics, institutional accountability, abuse incidents, legal and diplomatic issues, and the ethical needs for future reform.
• India as an Emerging Global Classroom
India’s higher education system has gained international attention due to its affordability, diverse academic programs, and the legacy of cultural and historical ties that have for centuries attracted students from various developing countries. Historically, students from friendly nations like Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, and Bangladesh have pursued educational opportunities in India not only for the quality of education offered in prestigious institutions such as the IITs, IIMs, and AIIMS, but also for the shared cultural context and linguistic familiarity provided by English-medium instruction. This influx of international students is not confined to South Asia alone nations from Africa, including Nigeria, Kenya, and Tanzania, as well as students from parts of the Middle East and Southeast Asia, have also increasingly viewed India as a viable alternative to expensive Western educational destinations.
There are numerous strategic advantages to positioning India as an educational hub. Economically, the presence of international students increases local economies by boosting sectors such as accommodation, food services, transportation, and retail. Education tourism, cross-cultural academic collaborations, and enhanced research opportunities further contribute to economic growth. Beyond the fiscal advantages, fostering an international academic community enhances India’s soft power, reinforcing diplomatic ties and cultural connections with a wide array of nations. This bilateral engagement is not only instrumental in promoting long-term partnerships but also in shaping a positive global narrative around India’s academic ability and heritage.
Affordability remains one of India’s most compelling advantages in attracting international students. Indian universities provide affordable education while maintaining academic standards, unlike Western institutions with high tuition and living costs. Government initiatives, particularly those administered by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), offer scholarships SAARC Scholarship Scheme through the Cultural Exchange Programme (CEP) and Educational Exchange Programme (EEP) that lower financial barriers, making higher education accessible to a broader spectrum of international students. India’s combination of affordable, high-quality education and its cultural appeal stands out compared to policies in Singapore, Malaysia, China, Russia, and many Western nations. However, this opportunity comes with the responsibility of safeguarding the overall student experience like academic, social, and personal through robust institutional frameworks.
Cultural and historical influence plays a pivotal role in attracting students to India. The legacy of ancient centres of learning such as Nalanda and Takshashila is more than just historical; it forms part of a continuing narrative of academic excellence. For many students from neighbouring countries, the cultural attraction with India makes it easier to adjust to life in a foreign land, fostering an environment where academic and social integration go hand in hand. Despite these strengths, the overall perception of India’s education system is nuanced. While many South Asian students value the region-specific relevance and affordability, students from Africa and the Middle East often weigh the technical and professional aspects of academic programs against concerns about infrastructure, teaching methodologies, and support services. Bureaucratic hurdles, visa procedures and extensive paperwork add stress to relocating abroad. Experts recommend digitalising these processes and establishing dedicated support centres, along with a centralized body to ensure consistent welfare, safety, and address grievances for international scholars, and ensuring that student well-being remains a top priority throughout the educational system.
• Beyond Books – The Duty to Protect
Despite the numerous advantages that India offers as an educational hub, significant concerns remain regarding the safety and welfare of international students. Reports and studies have consistently highlighted issues such as harassment, discrimination, and violence on campuses, with foreign students particularly those from African and non-Indian backgrounds bearing the brunt of xenophobic behaviour and systemic neglect. While some international environments in Western countries provide robust legal protections and comprehensive support systems, the reality in many Indian institutions is starkly different. Students have faced mental harassment, racial discrimination, and physical abuse, frequently with inadequate options of relief.
The tragic case of Prakriti Lamsal, a 20-year-old Nepali student at KIIT, serves as a painful picture of these shortcomings. Prakriti’s experience, marked by prolonged harassment and inadequate institutional response, ended in her suicide a sequence of events that not only exposed the vulnerabilities within the university’s system but also ignited widespread protests among Nepali students on campus. The initial decision by KIIT to expel Nepali students, which was later reversed under diplomatic pressure, underscores the critical need for sensitive and prompt handling of student grievances. This case, along with a series of other incidents spanning the past decade from abuse cases involving Bhutanese students in Delhi to violent attacks in Greater Noida and Bengaluru paints a troubling picture of campus safety that demands urgent reforms.
Institutions can learn from best practices implemented by leading global universities. For instance, many universities in the United States and the United Kingdom have established dedicated international student offices that not only facilitate orientation and integration but also offer comprehensive safety training and transparent reporting mechanisms. The integration of witness intervention training, 24-hour helplines, and centralized ombudsman services has proven effective in addressing harassment and violence in these settings. Additionally, partnerships with local law enforcement and mental health professionals ensure that students receive culturally sensitive counselling and crisis intervention. By adopting similar practices, Indian institutions can significantly enhance their campus safety infrastructure.
The comparison between private and public universities in India reveals additional disparities. Private institutions, often with better-funded infrastructure and more streamlined procedures, may offer a relatively safer environment; however, they are not immune to issues of racial or ethnic harassment. Public universities, on the other hand, frequently face resource constraints, overcrowding, and delayed responses to complaints, which worsen the vulnerabilities of international students. Both sectors need to adopt a comprehensive, multi-layered approach to fostering an inclusive and safe environment one that includes regular cultural sensitivity training, transparent grievance mechanisms, and initiative-taking diversity initiatives.
Furthermore, the role of student unions both domestic and international cannot be overstated. As advocates for student welfare, these unions can serve as a bridge between students, institutional leaders, and government bodies, ensuring that concerns are addressed in a timely and effective manner. They can advocate for policy reforms, facilitate dialogue on campus safety, and work collaboratively with foreign embassies to manage crises. In an age where technological interventions are reshaping campus security, innovations such as AI-based monitoring systems and mobile safety apps offer promising solutions. These technologies can provide real-time alerts, geolocation tracking, and rapid emergency notifications, thereby creating a layered security framework that significantly reduces response times in critical situations. Mandating universities to disclose safety and grievance data would boost transparency, empower students, and drive safety improvements. This is not just an administrative change it is a moral imperative that strengthens India’s educational reputation.
• Exposing the Hidden Crisis
Incidents of abuse, harassment, and violence against international students reveal deep-seated systemic failures that cut across institutional and governmental boundaries. Ensuring a safe academic environment is a shared responsibility of schools, local law enforcement, and state governments. When these systems fail, as they did in the case of Prakriti Lamsal, the consequences can be devastating.
Prakriti Lamsal’s case is a vivid and tragic illustration of institutional neglect and the dire consequences of inaction. Although Prakriti lodged multiple complaints concerning harassment and emotional blackmail by a fellow student, identified as Advik Srivastava, the response was limited to summoning the involved students for counselling sessions. This insufficient approach failed to address the underlying issues of abuse and power imbalance, culminating in her sudden death. The ensuing protests by Nepali students and diplomatic interventions by Nepal’s leadership underscored the gravity of the situation and the urgent need for robust institutional reforms. The KIIT incident is not an isolated event; similar cases have emerged over the years. Incidents such as the abuse of a Bhutanese student in Delhi (2011), mental harassment at a North Indian management institute (2013), the “Nido Tania Case” (2014), violent assaults in Bangalore (2016), an attack on a Tanzanian student in Bengaluru (2016), the Gujarat Institute Incident (2018), and repeated violent attacks on African students in Greater Noida (2017) have all highlighted the vulnerabilities that international students face.
These cases, taken together, illustrate a pattern of complete failure. The common causes include deep-seated xenophobia, institutional neglect, and the absence of effective grievance redressal mechanisms. In many instances, cultural intolerance and regional discrimination have fuelled the harassment, with students being targeted simply because they are perceived as outsiders. In the aftermath of such incidents, responses have often been slow and inadequate, involving stepwise measures rather than comprehensive policy reforms. As a result, international students not only suffer immediate harm but also lose confidence in the ability of Indian institutions to safeguard their well-being.
The implications of these incidents extend far beyond the individual cases. They affect India’s reputation as a safe destination for higher education and have a ripple effect on the country’s diplomatic relations. In an era when parents and education consultants are increasingly relying on safety records and institutional transparency to make decisions, the repeated occurrence of abuse incidents poses a serious threat to India’s standing in the global education market. If international students perceive that their safety is not guaranteed, they are likely to consider alternative study destinations countries such as Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, Germany, and even Asian hubs like Singapore, Malaysia and Japan, where comprehensive safety measures and robust legal protections are in place. This competitive shift could have long-term economic and diplomatic consequences for India, further underscoring the need for urgent reforms.
• Laws, Loopholes, and Diplomacy
Addressing the multifaceted challenges of student safety requires a reformed legal and diplomatic framework that is responsive, efficient, and sensitive to the unique needs of international students. One of the most critical steps is the introduction of targeted legal reforms designed to expedite justice for crimes committed against foreign students. The establishment of specialized fast-track courts and dedicated investigative units equipped with modern technological tools like electronic case management systems and video-recorded testimonies can help ensure that cases involving international students are processed with the urgency they demand. These legal reforms must also include amending existing laws to classify crimes against international students as serious offenses, thus reinforcing deterrence while guaranteeing robust support mechanisms for the victims.
It is important that foreign students facing legal issues receive due process and a time bound fair trial.This includes access to competent legal representation, language interpretation services, and culturally sensitive judicial processes. The creation of dedicated relationship offices in major educational hubs can serve as a bridge between Indian authorities and foreign embassies, ensuring that international students receive timely and impartial assistance. Such measures not only build trust in the legal system but also serve as a strong signal to the international community that India is committed to protecting the rights of its students. India can strengthen diplomatic ties via its role as a center of education. Academic exchanges, joint research, and scholarship programs may create enduring networks that impact policy and improve bilateral ties. Effective cross-border justice is ensured for major criminal cases by coordinated efforts using Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties (MLATs), extradition agreements, and joint investigation teams (JITs).
The media also plays a pivotal role in shaping global perceptions of India’s safety record for international students. Sensationalist coverage of isolated incidents can twist the overall picture, creating a narrative that undermines the significant progress being made in improving campus safety and legal processes. To counter these negative perceptions, it is necessity for the Indian government and educational institutions to engage proactively with both traditional and digital media. By disseminating transparent, evidence-based information on crime statistics, safety reforms, and successful collaborations between law enforcement agencies, India can work to reshape its international image. Strategic public diplomacy campaigns and targeted media outreach initiatives can help convey a balanced view that recognizes both the challenges and the continuous efforts to improve student safety.
• Global Footprint
The cumulative effect of safety incidents and the ensuing legal and diplomatic challenges has a profound impact on India’s global image and soft power. In today’s competitive global education market, the safety and welfare of international students are paramount concerns for parents, education consultants, and prospective students alike. When incidents such as the tragic case of Prakriti Lamsal occur, they not only erode individual trust but also harm the broader reputation of India as a secure and welcoming destination for higher education. If safety concerns persist, nations with robust education systems and safety protocols such as Canada, Australia, the UK, and Germany will attract more international students. Similarly, Asian countries like Singapore, Malaysia, and Japan will be seen as safer alternatives, potentially reducing India’s attractiveness and impacting its long-term economic and diplomatic standing.
Counteract this trend, it is vital that the Indian government implement a multi-pronged approach that includes both systemic reforms and targeted initiatives to enhance campus safety. One such measure is the introduction of a student safety rating system for universities a framework that would evaluate and publicly disclose safety statistics, grievance resolution rates, and overall student welfare metrics. Such a rating system would not only empower prospective students with clear, comparable data but also incentivize educational institutions to continuously upgrade their safety protocols. Coupled with the active involvement of alumni networks which can serve as effective advocates for policy reform this initiative has the potential to rebuild trust and enhance India’s soft power on the global stage.
• Ethics, Justice, and Campus Culture
Beyond the tangible aspects of policy reform and legal frameworks, there is an equally important ethical dimension to the discussion of international student safety. Xenophobia, regional discrimination, and cultural intolerance significantly contribute to violence and harassment against foreign students in India. These ethical challenges are not solely the responsibility of institutions or government bodies; they also demand proactive engagement from students, faculty, and local communities. Indian students and educators have an ethical responsibility to foster an inclusive and supportive environment that protects the rights and dignity of international partners. Intercultural dialogue, community outreach programs, and sensitivity training initiatives are essential in dismantling harmful stereotypes and promoting a culture of mutual respect. Digital platforms ranging from social media channels to dedicated student forums can play a transformative role in this regard. By facilitating real-time support and awareness campaigns, these platforms enable students to report incidents, share experiences, and mobilize collective action in the face of discrimination.
Ensuring equal legal protections for foreign students is another critical ethical need. While international students should enjoy the same fundamental rights as their domestic counterparts, the unique challenges they face such as language barriers and cultural differences necessitate additional support measures. Institutions must provide culturally competent legal counselling, clear guidelines on local laws and reporting procedures, and accessible support services that help international students navigate the complexities of the legal system. Student housing and hostels must prioritize safety and inclusivity. Secure, well-maintained, and affordable housing options, coupled with robust security protocols such as biometric access controls and regular safety inspections, can empower international students to feel both secure and supported.
Representation also plays a crucial role in addressing these ethical challenges. International students should have a voice in university decision-making bodies, enabling them to contribute to policy discussions and advocate for changes that directly impact their welfare. Such inclusive governance not only enriches campus policies with diverse perspectives but also fosters a sense of belonging and empowerment among international students.
• Blueprint for Betterment
India’s evolution as an educational hub presents a dual narrative of promise and peril. On one hand, the nation’s rich cultural heritage, affordable education, and expanding academic infrastructure position it as a attraction for international students from across the globe. On the other hand, recurring safety incidents and institutional lapses represented most tragically by the case of Prakriti Lamsal underscore the urgent need for comprehensive reforms. The future of India’s higher education sector hinges on its ability to balance these opportunities with robust mechanisms that ensure the safety, well-being, and dignity of every student who steps onto its campuses.
India needs legal reforms, better accountability, proactive diplomacy, and social change to become a global education hub. Fast-track courts, specialized legal frameworks, and dedicated investigative units would ensure swift justice for international student crimes, while centralized regulators and a student safety rating system would enhance campus transparency and accountability. Strengthening international partnerships with neighbours like Nepal and African nations can create a safer, more predictable environment for foreign students. Combined with targeted PR and media outreach, these efforts are key to enhancing India’s safety reputation and restoring global confidence in its educational institutions.Creating a safer, more inclusive, and globally respected higher education system in India is a shared responsibility. It requires coordinated efforts from government, institutions, communities, and international partners. By addressing challenges, upholding ethical values, and leveraging technology and innovation, India can transform vulnerabilities into strengths and emerge as a beacon of academic excellence and cultural harmony.
Reflecting on the tragic loss of Prakriti Lamsal, her story calls for immediate action. It reminds us that student safety cannot be compromised, and institutional neglect must be addressed. In her memory, India must reform its educational system to ensure every student is valued, protected, and empowered. The future of India’s higher education is challenging but full of promise. By enacting comprehensive reforms and strengthening safety measures, India can become a global education hub where academic excellence goes hand in hand with student well-being. The lessons of the past now guide a transformative journey that the international community watches with hope.
