Odisha has secured a place among the top ten Indian states attracting foreign students, surpassing several traditional education hubs, as per the latest report titled Internationalisation of Higher Education in India released by NITI Aayog. The report highlights Odisha’s growing appeal to overseas students alongside Haryana, despite competition from established centres such as Delhi, Kolkata and Hyderabad.

According to the findings, 2,362 foreign students are currently pursuing higher education in Odisha. A dominant share of 2,221 students is enrolled in BTech programmes, underlining the strong demand for engineering and technical education in the state. During the 2021–22 academic year, Odisha admitted 2,320 international students across undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD courses.

The report attributes this trend to factors such as the availability of quality technical institutions, comparatively lower education costs, and steadily improving academic infrastructure. While engineering programmes account for most foreign enrolments, students are also opting for courses in science, technology, management and research.

Based on official enrolment data, the NITI Aayog assessment points to Odisha’s rising profile as an international education destination, reflecting the state’s expanding role in India’s higher education landscape.