New Delhi [India], October 7 : Counsellor for Education, Science and Culture at the Embassy of France in India, Gregor Trumel, has highlighted the steady rise in the number of Indian students choosing France for higher education, noting a "17 percent jump in Indian enrolments" this year and reaffirming France's strong commitment to deepening educational ties with India under the "Choose France" initiative.
During the Choose France Tour, which was held in Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata, Trumel said, "I think it's great news because France and India have such strong ties in the fields of business and diplomacy. I'm really happy that we are working to achieve 30,000 Indian students in France by 2030. It's increasing very much. Two years ago, it was plus 25 percent; last year, plus 17 percent. We're working very hard, and I'm really delighted that the Choose France Tour is having such great success."
He noted the growing participation of French universities in the initiative. "We're having 59 higher education institutions in universities. It was 50 last year, it was 42 two years ago, so we're working very hard and now it pays we have more and more Indian students going to France, and I would say most importantly, excellent students," he said.
Trumel shared that there are currently around 10,000 Indian students in France, with a significant share opting for management and business programmes. "It's interesting to say that 85 percent of Indian students going to France go to management and business schools, private schools. What's important to say is that there are plenty of opportunities for Indian students in France in many different skills and disciplines," he said.
He also pointed to expanding options in engineering, science, social sciences, and humanities, adding, "For instance, in engineering we have École Polytechnique and so on, science but also social science and humanities. It's also important to say that of course, language sometimes can be an issue, but we have 1,600 programmes in English in the French higher education system plenty of English-taught programmes. Students can go to universities, public institutions, with a lot of opportunities they actually don't know about for now, most of them. That's why the Choose France Tour is done."
Encouraging Indian students to explore France, he added, "Please come and visit us and you will have some great advice, meet the universities and the schools, and you'll see plenty of opportunities in France for you. It's a new world for you, you're welcome."
Emphasising that India remains a "priority" for France, Trumel said there was no change in visa or education policy. "You know that India is a priority for us. The relationship, the ties between France and India are a true priority. There is no change in our policy. We are very eager to receive and host 30,000 Indian students in France by 2030. There is no change in our visa policy. Indian students are excellent, there is no issue, there is no problem with Indian students," he said.
He further praised Indian students for their academic excellence and adaptability. "They are studying very hard, hardworking students. They learn French very quickly, so no change. You come to France, you learn, you have an excellent education, you have a good time, you make friends, you learn French, you learn a new way of working, a new corporate culture, it's very useful for you," Trumel said.
Highlighting France's academic strength, he stated, "It's true, we have this excellent image and reputation in the field of management and business schools. We also have in France tons of Nobel Prize winners, we have mathematics, you know, the three medals. France has a lot of winners in this way. We have great schools in engineering, École Polytechnique, École Centrale, also in public universities. We are very strong in the fields of health, air and space which are very big with India and hospitality too."
He underlined France's growing focus on innovation and emerging disciplines. "We try our utmost to change the narrative and to show that France is also an opportunity for Indian students in the fields of innovation, AI and so on," he said.
Calling on Indian students to explore new opportunities, Trumel remarked, "Please come to visit the Choose France Tour in the city, it was in Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata, and Mumbai, and you'll see plenty of opportunities in these fields. It's a new frontier, a new world for Indian students. You are absolutely welcome."
He also highlighted the global advantage of learning French, noting, "French language is not just France, it's plenty of countries. Four hundred million people speak French all around the world, in North America, Africa, and Europe. It's time to come."
Encouraging Indian students to consider France seriously, he added, "Perhaps you don't think about France right now, but you should really consider coming to France because there's plenty of opportunity that perhaps you don't know. Great schools, excellent education, and it's affordable. You can see it in world global rankings, it's a mix of excellence and affordability."
Trumel also noted the availability of scholarships and employment prospects through Indo-French collaboration. "We have 500 scholarships at the French Institutes for the best students who can apply for these. And when you come back to India, you have 1,000 French companies operating in India, providing 500,000 excellent jobs, in aerospace, engineering, health and so on. It's going to increase because the Indian-French relationship is skyrocketing," he said.
Urging students to take advantage of the opportunities, he concluded, "It's a good time for you to go there. Come to the Choose French Schools and you'll know everything to make your plans to come to France, study, and have a good career."