THE NUMBER of Indian students pursuing higher education in the United States fell by 13.2% in the academic year 2020-21, the greatest drop in portion points in more than a decade, according to the Open Doors Report 2021 released on Monday.

The Open Doors report is released by the US Department of States Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and the Institute of International Education.

The circumstance is already searching for this year, Heflin told press reporters, as the variety of Indian students and exchange visitors travelling to study in the United States this year is at an “all-time record”.

Indians continue to make up the second-largest accomplice (18.3%) of worldwide students in the United States, after China (34.7%).

Of the overall Indian trainees, the bulk (34.8%) chose Math and Computer Science, followed by Engineering (33.5%) and Business and Management (11.7%) in 2020-21.

The reduction in the number of worldwide students is not restricted just to those originating from India. In truth, overall, the US experienced a 15% reduction in its global student population.

The total variety of Indians studying in America fell from 1.93 lakh in 2019-20 to 1.67 lakh in the last scholastic year, with authorities in the United States Embassy attributing the dip to pandemic-induced disturbance.

The scholastic year 2020-21 is the second successive year that saw a drop in the absolute number of Indians going to the United States for higher education. In 2019-20, the number reduced from 2.02 lakh to 1.93 lakh. Prior to that, at least considering that 2014-15, the Indian trainee strength had been on the increase, albeit at a slower growth rate.

” Despite the worldwide pandemic, Indian students were able to look for visas and take a trip to the United States. We provided over 62,000 trainee visas this summer alone, more than in any previous year. This goes to show that the US remains the destination of choice for Indian students looking to study abroad,” he stated.

United States embassy officials on Monday explained the patterns in the 2020-21 dataset as a “Covid blip”. Minister Counsellor for Consular Affairs at the embassy Donald Heflin stated the pandemic and the occurring lockdown postured major obstacles, and raised safety concerns in the minds of parents whose children were to fly to the United States for college, however efforts were made on both sides (United States and India) to guarantee a safe and comfy transition for trainees.

— With PTI inputs

The scholastic year 2020-21 is the 2nd consecutive year that saw a drop in the absolute number of Indians going to the US for greater education.” Despite the worldwide pandemic, Indian trainees were able to apply for visas and take a trip to the US. This goes to reveal that the US stays the location of choice for Indian students looking to study abroad,” he stated.