Introvert spending lonely life as a college student

I (20M) am a final-year engineering student pursuing Computer Science at a tier 3 college. Throughout my school and college life, I have had no female interaction of any kind, aside from my sister and mother. I've been a very nerdy student for most of my college life, and I have only one guy I talk to on a daily basis, plus another guy with whom I discuss nerdy topics (CS and electronics). I haven't had many opportunities to go out with groups, even when invited, due to family trips and other events. My parents would allow me to go; they’re not that strict. I usually go on solo bike rides when I feel too lonely, but otherwise, I spend most of my time on my PC.

Despite securing the highest placement in my college, I feel like an underachiever when I see others on platforms like LinkedIn. I have no social life, mainly because I’m not very interested in interacting with strangers unless they approach me. I have exactly two school friends with whom I’m still close and can call anytime for help, but they live in different cities, attending much better colleges.

My main issue is loneliness, and I’m struggling to overcome it. I feel like I'm lacking something, which contributes to my having zero female friends and interactions. When I talk to people, I sometimes have a sense of superiority, but I recognize that I need to cultivate humility. Still, it seems like most people only interact with me for their own benefit, such as needing help with notes, assignments, or projects. I have difficulty saying no to people, as I feel that interaction is better than none. When I ask others to go out for a movie or even for a walk or cycling, they often give lame excuses to avoid it.

I have two questions:

1. Is it normal to have only 3 to 4 close friends whom I can call for help, while having other contacts as acquaintances?
2. How can I improve my rate of interaction with females? Seeing so many couples at college makes me feel jealous, even though I understand it’s not always as perfect as it seems from the outside.

Any advice for personal development would also be greatly appreciated. Thank you very much for taking the time to read this.