Cursor, an AI-powered coding assistant developed by U.S.-based startup Anysphere, has quietly removed India from the eligibility list for its one-year free Pro subscription plan for students. The decision, made without any formal announcement or justification, has sparked concern and criticism among users in India.
The Pro plan, which remains available to students in many other countries, offers a full year of complimentary access to advanced features including integration with cutting-edge AI models such as GPT-4o, Claude 3.5 Sonnet, and Grok-3. Students under this plan can make up to 500 fast AI requests per month. Enrollment requires a verified student email or proof of academic enrollment, along with payment details—though no charges are applied during the first year.
Until recently, Indian students were able to access this plan without restrictions. However, users in India have now reported being unable to sign up or continue using the free student plan, with the country no longer appearing in the registration options.
The abrupt change has led to frustration among the Indian developer and student community. Many have taken to social media and developer forums to express disappointment over the lack of transparency. Some speculate that the move could be a reaction to potential misuse, such as account reselling or spam-related activity from the region, although these claims remain unverified.
Cursor has not issued an official statement explaining the exclusion.
Built on top of Microsoft’s Visual Studio Code, Cursor has quickly gained popularity for its seamless AI integration, supporting multiple large language models. The platform recently crossed over 1 million daily users and has seen a significant rise in annual recurring revenue, reflecting its growing adoption among developers globally.
As of now, Indian students will have to explore alternative solutions or opt for Cursor’s paid plans if they wish to continue using the service.
For updates or further clarification, users are advised to follow official Cursor channels or support pages.
