IITs are enrolling more foreign students

The IITs will offer 66 seats to foreign nationals in 2022. In the previous five years, the number in this category had not surpassed 10. According to experts, this is due to a change in the definition of foreign nationals applying to professional courses in India. According to a government order effective in March 2021, Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) and Persons of Indian Origin (PIO), who were previously treated equally with Indians for seats in government institutions, are now regarded as foreign nationals and are included in the category. These students receive extra seats with higher fees.

The IITs’ previous foreign national category had over 10 students in it over the previous five years. However, the total is in line with this year when the OCI and PIO candidates are included. There were 62 OCI and 5 PIO candidates for the eight seats that were offered to foreign nationals in 2021. There were 62 OCI and 2 PIO candidates in 2020, along with 2 foreign nationals. There were 0 foreign nationals in 2019, but there were 36 OCI and 4 PIO candidates.

“Based on the Gazette Issued by the Government of India on March 4, 2021, all OCI/PIO candidates are treated as foreign nationals for JEE (Advanced) and Joint Seat Allocation Authority (JOSAA) for seat allocation in IITs,” the report declared. Foreign nationals were given the opportunity to take up to 10% of the extra seats in each program. This year, the IITs added 66 supernumerary seats for foreign applicants.