By the Numbers: U.S.-India Partnering on Education

The data driving AsiaThe third U.S.-India Higher Education Dialogue, which is scheduled to take place later this month in New Delhi, provides a timely opportunity to discuss collaborative initiatives for capturing India’s ‘demographic dividend.’ India recognizes the urgency of equipping its workforce with the skills needed to adequately compete in today’s global economy. The following numbers help put the issue into perspective and draw attention to some promising areas of collaboration between the two countries.

12,000,000

The number of Indians entering the workforce every year. India is expected to have the largest workforce in the world by 2025.

2,500,000

The number of available vocational training seats.

Students in Bankura West Bengal India, Source GPE/Deepa Srikantaiah, 2012

Students in Bankura West Bengal India during 2012. Source: Deepa Srikantaia / Global Partnership for Education’s flickr photostream, used under a creative commons license.

5%

The percentage of Indians between the ages of 20 and 24 that have received formal vocational training.

500,000,000

The number of skilled workers India plans to create by 2022.

11,000

The total number of vocational training schools in India. This is dwarfed by China’s 500,000.

200

The number of community colleges India plans to establish by 2020 in order to expand vocational training opportunities for its vast young population. Robert Blake, Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, has said that the U.S. will “help India achieve [this] ambitious goal.”

$10,000,000

The total amount pledged by the U.S. and India in 2009 toward the Obama-Singh 21st Century Knowledge Initiative. This initiative awards 8-10 university partnership grants annually, and commits each side to a $5 million pledge over the course of a five year period. It has four priority issue areas: food security, climate change, sustainable energy, and public health. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced the first round of winners at last year’s Higher Education Dialogue.

Source: U.S. Embassy New Delhi's flickr photostream, U.S. Government Work.

U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce Suresh Kumar speaks with students at the U.S.-India Higher Education Summit in October 2011. Source: U.S. Embassy New Delhi’s flickr photostream, U.S. Government Work.

225

The number of students that Secretary Hillary Clinton said would be sponsored by seven major American companies for internships and service-learning projects in India over a period of three years. This is taking place as part of an expansion of the State Department’s ‘Passport to India’ initiative, which promotes internship opportunities for U.S. students in India through private sector support.

100,270

The total number of Indian students enrolled at U.S. higher education institutions as of 2012 end. Only China has more U.S.-based students, with almost twice the number as India.

4,345

The number of American students who studied abroad in India in 2010/11, making India the 11th most popular destination for American students.

17,000

The number of Fulbright fellowships and grants that have been awarded by the U.S.-India Educational Foundation since 1950. India has the “largest Fulbright scholar exchange program worldwide.”

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2 comments for “By the Numbers: U.S.-India Partnering on Education

  1. June 15, 2013 at 08:07

    This is a very informative article concerning the potential for a great collaborative between the United States and India. I work with K12 and higher education students and one of the greatest challenges for students is getting the right preparation to go to the next level of education. Too often colleges assume that students have the preparation to succeed because a student has completed high school. It appears that India has a great opportunity to start by working at the grass roots level to improve access to a good K12 education. Preparing students early will lay the foundation for their future success.

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