Source: The Hindustan Times, November 15, 2000
NEW DELHI, INDIA: There has been a sharp twelve percent rise in the number of Indian students, mostly Hindus, in American colleges and universities during the academic year 1999-2000. The Indian presence went up from 30,641 in 1996-1997, to 33,818 in 1997-1998, to 37,482 in 1998-1999 — and now jumped to 42,337 in 1999-2000. A just released report from the Institute of International Education titled “Open Doors 2000” cites a five percent increase of all international students in the US, putting the total enrollment at 514,723, with Asian students accounting for 54 percent. Popular subjects pursued are business and management, engineering, mathematics and computer science. While international students are only three percent of America’s total higher education population, they contribute more than $12 billion to the US economy by way of money spent on tuition, and related costs.