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More than 7.6 lakh Indians went abroad for higher studies in 2024, according to data shared by the Bureau of Immigration (BoI). Minister of State for Education Sukanta Majumdar informed the Lok Sabha on Monday while replying to a question by MP PC Mohan. He clarified that the Education Ministry does not maintain direct records of students going overseas, but BoI figures indicate a slight decline compared to 2023.
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As per the official figures, over 2.6 lakh students went abroad for studies in 2020, which increased to 4.45 lakh in 2021, 7.52 lakh in 2022, and peaked at nearly 8.95 lakh in 2023, before slightly declining to 7.6 lakh in 2024.
| Year | Number of Students |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 260,363 |
| 2021 | 445,582 |
| 2022 | 752,111 |
| 2023 | 894,783 |
| 2024 | 760,073 |
The government said several steps have been taken to ease student mobility, including facilitating visa processing, academic recognition and migration through agreements on Mutual Recognition of Qualifications (MRQs) and Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreements with other countries.
To support students overseas, the Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) has been set up in Indian Missions and Posts abroad. The fund provides on-site welfare assistance on a means-tested basis and covers contingency expenses incurred by Indian citizens, including students.
The government has also encouraged students to register with Indian Missions and the MADAD portal to ensure their grievances are addressed in a timely manner.
Moreover, among Indian states/ cities, Chandigarh sent more students abroad per capita between 2016 and 2021. For every 1 lakh residents, over 10,000 held a student visa — meaning nearly one in 10 people left to study overseas.
By absolute numbers, Andhra Pradesh leads, followed by Maharashtra, Punjab and Gujarat. But once adjusted for population, smaller regions stand out.
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After Chandigarh, the highest ratios are seen in Punjab (869 per lakh), Delhi (851), Andhra Pradesh (524) and Kerala (331).
